Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1183. I'll bear It (2)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
It wasn’t just the people of Mount Hua that were staring at Baek Cheon with eyes full of awe, as if enchanted or deeply impressed.
Everyone present couldn’t take their eyes off him. Even Bop Jeong and Jongni Hyeong seemed noticeably surprised.
Everyone was now seeing Baek Cheon anew. They were witnessing his true nature, which had been overshadowed by the fame of Hyun Jong and Chung Myung.
“My contemplation began to take form at that moment. But the real struggle had already started long before that.”
“…Before that?”
“Yes. It all started with Namgung Sogaju.”
“Yes? Are you referring to me?”
Namgung Dowi, who was staring at Baek Cheon with eyes filled with passion and unable to breathe, reflexively asked before quickly covering his mouth in surprise.
But Baek Cheon paid no attention to the reaction around him and just calmly continued to say what he wanted to say.
“To be honest, Namgung Sogaju was someone I didn’t think much of.”
“….”
A look of anger flashed across Namgung Dowi’s face as if he had been hit out of nowhere. He had just been moved by Baek Cheon, only to be spoken of like that.
“But the current Namgung Sogaju is such an amazing person that I wouldn’t even dare to surpassing.”
“Ba- Baek Cheon Dojang.”
“Namgung Sogaju is leading and rebuilding Namgung Family that was destroyed. Sometimes in a way that no one can deny is truly admirable.”
Hyun Jong nodded at those words.
“…Yes, that’s true.”
Who here would be unaware of the tremendous efforts Namgung Dowi was making?
“Sometimes I admired him, and other times I was jealous. Someone I thought I had caught up with had, in an instant, widened the gap and distanced themselves once again.”
Hyun Jong nodded again as if he understood.
For most, it was merely impressive, Baek Cheon, who was the same generation, couldn’t have been seen purely in a warm light. Of course, he would feel a sense of competition.
“And so I wondered, how did this gap form?”
Baek Cheon took his gaze away from Namgung Dowi and looked at others.
“That’s when I realized. It wasn’t just Sogaju of Namgung Family who was ahead of me.”
Baek Cheon's gaze stops at Seol So-baek this time.
“Seol Gungju is even younger than Namgung Sogaju, yet he has earned the recognition of Ice Palace. Everyone believes that Seol Gungju will become a great gungju, and Seol Gungju is working tirelessly to meet those expectations, even sacrificing sleep to do so.”
At those words, Seol So-baek scratched the back of his head as if embarrassed.
“And then.”
Baek Cheon's gaze then fell on Im Sobyeong, who was half-hiding in a corner.
“Nokrim King is not that much older than me, but he leads Nokrim well. As one of the leaders of the Five Great Evil Sect, Nokrim King, who is even younger than Jang Ilso, has managed to hide his status and age to ensure that no one looks down on him.”
Im Sobyeong awkwardly cleared his throat and used his unopened fan to cool his face.
After looking at them all, Baek Cheon turned his head to Hyun Jong and asked.
“Sect Leader.”
“….”
"What is different between them and me? What am I lacking that I cannot be like them? Even those who are younger than I am are leading their sects admirably. So why must I still be protected by Sect Leader and shift the burden of cowardice onto Sect Leader?"
"…That’s…."
Even Hyun Jong could not answer this question.
But Baek Cheon shook his head as if he wasn't looking for an answer.
"This is not Sect Leader's fault. But the difference definitely exists. That’s why I was worried. Where did that difference come from?”
Baek Cheon glanced at Namgung Dowi.
"My conclusion was simple. I mean no offense to Namgung Sogaju, but if Namgung Gaju were still alive, I doubt Sogaju would be as he is now."
It may sound rude. However, Namgung Dowi nodded with an expression that did not seem offended at all. Then, he speak as if he was supporting Baek Cheon.
"There’s no need to apologize. What you said is absolutely true."
Baek Cheon nodded slightly and continued speaking.
"The greatest difference was just one thing: What have they taken on?"
His gaze turned to Tang Gun-ak.
It was as if he was asking for consent, saying that it was the same when Tang Gun-ak ascended to the position of Tang Gaju. Tang Gun-ak, without realizing it, nodded in response.
"It is the position that makes the person. One isn’t admirable simply because they are destined to be a leader, but because they become admirable by assuming that role. A position demands the responsibility that comes with it. But in other words…"
Baek Cheon turned his gaze to Mount Hua's disciples. It seemed as if they too had to listen.
"It also means that one grows because they bear the responsibility and endure the weight of it."
“….”
"To desire to stand in the same position as those who bear such responsibility, without having borne it yourself, is nothing more than childish arrogance. If you truly want to stand in the same place, you must also know how to take on that burden."
His voice grew clearer and more resolute.
"Now that I understand this, I will not avoid the burden I must carry. No, I will take it upon myself, willingly. To grow further and to stand more confidently through the responsibility placed on my shoulders."
“Baek Cheon-ah….”
“So please, Sect Leader.”
Baek Cheon slowly bowed his head in a deep, respectful gesture. Though it was polite, it was by no means servile..
“Please allow me.”
A sigh escaped Hyun Jong's mouth.
How could someone be so dignified and admirable? An indescribable mix of emotions swept over him.
And at that moment, a quiet chant reached his ears.
“Amitabha.”
Bop Jeong, who had been watching the situation, seemed displeased and attempted to intervene.
“Baek Cheon Siju seems to be in too much of a hurry. Responsibility is….”
“Baek Cheon-ah.”
“….”
But those words were cut off by none other than Hyun Jong's voice.
"I understand your intent, but this is an incredibly difficult matter. Do you really think you can bear it?"
It was a question with heavy meaning, but Baek Cheon's answer was not the slightest bit hesitant.
“Alone, it would be difficult.”
“…Alone?”
“Yes. But, Sect Leader. Sect Leader didn’t bear all the burdens by yourself either. Sect Leader had the elders by your side. Elder Hyun Sang guided Mount Hua’s martial arts, and Elder Hyun Young handled Mount Hua’s finances.”
The faces of the two elders were filled with emotion.
“It wasn’t just the duties. When fierce winds blew and waves crashed, how could one person withstand such hardships alone? Sect Leader must have endured because those people were with Sect Leader. And the Un generation, including Un Am Sasuk and Un Gum Sasuk, did their best to protect Sect Leader.”
“Yes, I didn’t do it alone. Not by any means.”
“Yes, Sect Leader. That’s true. The same applies to me. I can’t do it alone. But I have people who will support me. I have Samae who is quiet but more dependable and trustworthy than anyone else. I have Sajil who, when I stray down the wrong path, will tell me the right way without caring what others think.”
Yoo Iseol’s lips tightened with determination, and Yoon Jong quietly closed his eyes.
“I have someone who teaches me that sometimes, instead of cold logic, one must follow the warm guidance of Chivalrousness, and someone who, despite being lower in rank, can mediate objectively better than anyone else.”
Jo-Gol, overwhelmed with emotion, looked upward, while Tang Soso lowered her head deeply.
“And… there is someone who, just by watching me from behind, drives me forward more than anyone else. I will carry the weight of that gaze for the rest of my life.”
Everyone of Mount Hua looks at Baek Cheon.
He shone as brightly as the pure white robes he was wearing.
“Did Sect Leader ask if I could do it? Sect Leader, I will do better than anyone. They will make me into someone who can. And…”
Baek Cheon’s gaze finally turned to Chung Myung.
“I am a person who has no resentment toward the past and no debt to future generations. That is why I must be the one to become the Acting Sect Leader now. In the coming age of war, I am the only one who can wield Mount Hua’s sword correctly.”
Chung Myung's eyes, which watched him, were as deep and dark as the ocean. But Baek Cheon did not shy away from that gaze; he accepted it fully.
Baek Cheon, who had been watching Chung Myung for a long time, slowly turned his gaze and faced Hyun Jong.
“So, Sect Leader. Make a decision. Don’t trust in me as your disciple. Trust in Mount Hua, not in me. Believe that the will of our ancestors has also been passed down to me. Mount Hua will guide this disciple on the right path.”
Hyun Jong closed his eyes. What came to his mind was something that happened before he met Baek Cheon.
'Master.'
His master, who passed the position of Sect Leader to Hyun Jong when no one else was willing to take it, even though Hyun Jong himself was not fully prepared. And his master worried about him until the moment of his death.
Hyun Jong had endured those long, harsh years. He had survived the bitter cold of winter, but without Hyun Sang and Hyun Young by his side, he would never have been able to withstand that freezing wind.
That’s why he wanted to give them more time—time to fully live their lives, free from the weight of the responsibility of Sect Leader’s position.
But now Baek Cheon was telling him.
That the time wasn’t wasted. That time, that position, that weight had made Hyun Jong into the person he was today.
As glad as those words made him, they also…
As Hyun Jong's silence grew longer, Yoon Jong quietly glanced around, observing the mood.
Bop Jeong looks very uncomfortable no matter what, and Jongni Hyeong looks like he's going to yell at them at any moment, asking what they're doing.
Even the sect leaders of Heavenly Comrade Alliance, who were friendly toward Mount Hua, couldn’t endure the current atmosphere.
Yoon Jong, who thought that if things continued like this, something big would happen, slowly opened his mouth.
“Perhaps… we should adjourn for now and discuss this again later…”
It was that very moment.
“Listen, disciples.”
Hyun Jong opened his eyes and spoke with gravity. The disciples of Mount Hua, who were startled by his voice, immediately corrected their posture and attitude.
“Yes, Sect Leader!”
Hyun Jong stared at Baek Cheon with deep, autumn-frost-like (추상(秋霜)) eyes. Baek Cheon stood tall, meeting his gaze without wavering.
“The sin of bringing the honor of Mount Hua to the ground with remarks unbecoming of the position is extremely serious. Furthermore, to have the audacity to demand the transfer of Sect Leader’s authority—a sin of rebellion against the sect!”
“Se- Sect Leader!”
"No…."
The disciples of Mount Hua were startled by the words, “Rebellion against the sect,” and looked at Hyun Jong. But his cold, unyielding gaze silenced any protests. (Literally, it is when someone go against their superior, as if disregarding the difference in position in a sect.)
Everyone shut their eyes tightly, but Baek Cheon stared at Hyun Jong without wavering. His demeanor showed that he was fully prepared to accept whatever consequences were to come.
“Therefore, I, Hyun Jong, by my authority as Sect Leader of Mount Hua, sentenced disciple Baek Cheon, who has committed this sin, by banning him from martial arts for half a year and confining him to Plum Blossom Cave.”
The disciples of Mount Hua opened their tightly shut eyes wide.
But Baek Cheon closed his eyes instead. He had no regrets, having said all he wanted to say. He only thought…
“There are laws within the sect that must always be upheld. Those laws must be honored under any circumstances. No one is exempt from punishment for failing to observe the appropriate time, place, and respect.”
Hyun Jong, who usually conceded his opinions, was now speaking with such a cold and commanding voice that no one dared to object. All they could do was bow their heads and accept it.
A chill of icy dread settled in everyone’s hearts.
“Elder Hyun Sang.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
“As the head of Mount Hua’s Martial Hall, carry out the punishment on the sinner.”
“I will obey your orders.”
Udeudek. The sound of someone grinding their teeth was clearly audible. It felt like the beginning of an irreversible catastrophe. As that bitter catastrophe tore people’s hearts apart, the sharp voice of Hyun Jong pierced everyone’s ears like thunder.
"step!"
Fixing his gaze on Baek Cheon, who had his eyes closed, Hyun Jong declared with all the authority he possessed.
“By the authority of Sect Leader of Mount Hua, I hereby appoint Baek Cheon, second-class disciple of Mount Hua, as Acting Sect Leader, to represent Sect Leader’s authority. The execution of all punishments is suspended until Baek Cheon steps down from the position of Acting Sect Leader! This is the command of Mount Hua’s Sect Leader, and no objections will be entertained.”
Baek Cheon opened his eyes wide.
The world, which had blurred for a moment, became crystal clear again, and the figure of Hyun Jong filled his vision.
A soft smile had appeared on Hyun Jong’s face, though Baek Cheon didn’t know exactly when it had formed.
The warm smile like the plum blossoms of spring the day Baek Cheon saw from Hyun Jong on the first day he climbed Mt. Hua.
“Baek Cheon-ah.”
“…Yes, Sect Leader.”
Hyun Jong smiled gently and said.
“From now on, you are Acting Sect Leader of Mount Hua.”
“….”
“Please guide Mount Hua in the right direction.”
Baek Cheon bowed his head.
His shoulders were not as proud as they had been a moment ago. They were even trembling pitifully. But no one here could point a finger or laugh at him.
“With, with all my heart…”
Baek Cheon’s voice, tinged with emotion, finally emerged.
“I will obey.”
And thus, a new Sect Leader of Mount Hua was born.
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