Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1185. I'll bear It (4)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
The words sounded well-packaged on the surface, but none of those present believed that Baek Cheon's 'good' words actually carried a truly 'good' meaning.
'Unbelievable…'
'That Bangjang...'
The leaders of Heavenly Comrade Alliance were staring at Baek Cheon, their eyes practically bulging out of their heads.
Of course, this wasn’t the first time they had seen Bop Jeong put in a tough spot. After all, there was already someone here who had brazenly clashed with him before. But…
'The method is different, but this feels somehow…'
Namgung Dowi secretly observed Bop Jeong’s complexion. Sure enough, the corners of his lips were twitching faintly. That slight tremor was enough to reveal Bop Jeong’s current state of mind.
Even Jo-Gol, who usually looked for any chance to kick Bangjang down a peg, seemed a bit drained as he glanced around before whispering to Yoon Jong.
"Sa- Sahyung."
"What?"
"I- Is it okay to do that?"
"Do you think it is?"
Yoon Jong answered calmly. But Jo-Gol couldn't be as calm as he was.
"Th- Then why is Sasuk acting like this?"
"What do you mean, 'why'? That guy has always been like that."
Jo-Gol, at a loss for words, shut his mouth like a clam.
'That's true, but....'
From an outsider’s perspective, they might think that after Chung Myung, Jo-Gol was the most reckless one at Mount Hua, but that would be wrong. If you asked any of the disciples of Mount Hua, they would all unanimously agree that Baek Cheon was the most unpredictable.
Still, even so, this was Bangjang they were dealing with…
At that moment, the silent Bop Jeong opened his mouth.
"Acting Sect Leader."
Though the words were short, everyone present could tell that Bop Jeong’s voice had noticeably lowered from before.
"Yes, Bangjang."
"…Is this truly the will of Mount Hua?"
"Yes."
But Baek Cheon, who was facing Bop Jeong, remained calm as ever.
"…Does Sect Leader agree with this as well?"
As Bop Jeong glared at him with sharp eyes, Hyun Jong glanced at Baek Cheon's back and shook his head.
"You must not ask that, Bangjang."
"What does it mean?"
"I have already delegated all authority on this matter to the Acting Sect Leader. Therefore, this is not a question for me. Even if it were up to me, I couldn’t overturn the Acting Sect Leader’s decision."
The corners of Bop Jeong's eyes were visibly trembling in anger.
Even those who bore nothing but ill will toward Bop Jeong felt a momentary sense of unease seeing his reaction. Yet, the satisfaction they felt overshadowed any anxiety.
"So, Mount Hua has chosen not to align with Shaolin’s intentions."
"Yes. However, this is only Mount Hua’s decision. Heavenly Comrade Alliance may have a different stance."
Bop Jeong, who had been glaring at Baek Cheon with fierce eyes, turned his gaze to Hyun Jong.
"What is the stance of Heavenly Comrade Alliance?"
"Given the changing circumstances, we will have to reconsider our position."
"Then ask them here and now."
"No, Bangjang, that's...."
"Is there any reason for it to be difficult?"
A chilling cold emanated from Bop Jeong’s face.
“You said that urgency overrules formality and courtesy, didn’t you? Surely you’re not suggesting that more time is needed in such an urgent matter?”
Since even the decision of who would become the acting sect leader was made in his presence, the implication was that opinions should also be asked in his presence. Though it was an excessive demand, there was no flaw in his logic.
It was at that moment that Bop Jeong was about to say one more word and King Hyun Jong stepped forward.
"You don't have to ask us."
Namgung Dowi opened his mouth calmly while sitting upright.
“We have already given our answer. It hasn’t changed from the beginning.”
Only then did the expressions on Bop Jeong's face lighten.
"Wise choice, Sogaju. Any old grudges…”
“Please don’t misunderstand, Bangjang.”
Bop Jeong was shocked by Namgung Dowi’s sudden interruption. What misunderstanding? By his words, Namgung had just expressed his intent to rejoin Five Great Family.
Namgung Dowi opened his mouth as if he had read the question in Bop Jeong's gaze.
"Namgung clearly stated its intention to follow Sect Leader's decision before this meeting."
"That’s..."
“I mean Sect Leader of Mount Hua.”
Only then did Bop Jeong understand what Namgung Dowi was talking about, and it made Bop Jeong grind his teeth without realizing it.
“Nothing has changed. If Mount Hua’s Acting Sect Leader has made a decision, Namgung will stand by it. The Namgung Family will not return to Five Great Family.”
"Sogaju!"
The moment Bop Jeong raised his voice, a soft laugh escaped from Tang Gun-ak's mouth.
"If Five Great Family were to exist without Namgung, then Sichuan Tang Family sees no reason to return either. Bangjang, Tang Family will also follow Mount Hua’s decision.”
Udeudeuk.
Bop Jeong bit his lip and glared at Tang Gun-ak. Baek Cheon and Namgung Dowi might be young and impulsive, driven by youthful rashness, but Tang Gun-ak had lived long enough to know better. How could he say such things?
Yet Tang Gun-ak remained relaxed.
“There are some things in this world that can’t be calculated with an abacus. Moreover… if I were to say here that Tang Family would rejoin Five Great Family, I’d soon have to step down as Gaju. What can I do? I can’t be relegated to the back room just yet.”
At those words, everyone turned to look at Tang Pae. Tang Pae cleared his throat with an embarrassed look on his face.
"No... It’s not like I was planning on it, but I figured I should have a serious discussion about it at some point.”
“…So you were considering it.”
“Well, after seeing all this unfold.”
“I can see how you might feel a little disappointed.” ("살짝 아쉬울 수도 있겠네, 이거.")
“Ahem, it’s a false accusation.”
Tang Pae’s lighthearted banter began to loosen the atmosphere. Though no one laughed outright, faint chuckles could be heard here and there. As the mood shifted, Bop Jeong’s expression grew even more rigid.
“Ice- Ice Palace too!”
At that moment, Seol So-baek shouted, his face flushed with excitement.
"The North Sea Ice Palace will also join Mount Hua Sect in their cause. If Mount Hua protects Heavenly Comrade Alliance, then Ice Palace will also protect Heavenly Comrade Alliance together with Mount Hua Sect until the end!"
Baek Cheon smiled warmly at Seol So-baek.
"Thank you, Gungju-nim."
"N- No need to thank me! It’s the most natural thing to do!"
Maeng So calmed down the trembling Seol So-baek by lightly tugging on his hem and looking at Bop Jeong with a meaningful smile.
"Given the current situation, even if Southern Beast Palace were to join Ten Great Sects, Bangjang wouldn’t be too pleased with that, would he?"
"......"
"When the host doesn’t welcome you, the guest can’t invite themselves in. So, Southern Beast Palace will remain with Heavenly Comrade Alliance. It seems there’s no need for Bangjang to feel disappointed, which is fortunate."
It was a strong statement. But Bop Jeong, sensing the firmness in them, couldn’t bring himself to say anything in response.
Then, people's gaze naturally turned to the one person who was left. That person, feeling the weight of their stares, spoke gruffly.
"What are you looking at?"
Im Sobyeong, with an obvious show of irritation, waved his hand as if shooing away stray dogs.
"The gentleman of Righteous Sect aren’t going in, if a bunch of bandits stick their spoons into Ten Great Sect's rice bowl without any notice, we’d get a wooden bell slammed over our heads. I’m not an idiot."
"......"
"You should give us a real choice before asking us to choose. They didn’t even ask us in the first place."
As the stares lingered, Im Sobyeong finally threw up his hands in exasperation.
"Fine, we’ll stay. We’re staying, alright? Do I really have to say it out loud?"
That was the end. In less than an hour after Hyun Jong had brought up the dissolution of Heavenly Comrade Alliance, all the sects belonging to Heavenly Comrade Alliance had agreed to its continued existence.
Im Sobyeong chuckled softly.
"But I wonder if it’s a bit too hasty. It’s one thing for us, but Righteous Sects could probably gain something from going over there. Namgung Sogaju, are you sure you won’t regret it? Aren’t you secretly beating your chest over this?"
At those words, Namgung Dowi gave him an annoyed look before sighing.
"As I said before... Namgung is simply following the will of Mount Hua."
"Well, that may be, but..."
"A debt of gratitude must be repaid. That’s just common sense. But that’s not all."
Namgung Dowi continued firmly.
"Even when it was just about gratitude, Namgung intended to follow Mount Hua. But now, there’s more than just gratitude between Namgung and Mount Hua. In this short time, we’ve trained together, sometimes fought and beaten each other, insulted each other, and rolled in the dirt together."
Namgung Dowi’s gaze shifted to Baek Cheon. If Hyun Jong was just someone he was grateful for, Baek Cheon held a slightly different meaning to him.
"Do you know what you call people like that?"
"Yes?"
"It is close friends."
Namgung Dowi looked at Baek Cheon and smiled faintly.
"Of course, it’s not exactly a deep friendship—more of a bitter one, really, so it might be closer to calling us frenemies. But even so, aren't we still close friends? But even so, a friend is still a friend. If repaying Mount Hua is Namgung’s duty, then wanting to walk alongside my friend is Namgung’s will."
Namgung Dowi's gaze was turned to Bop Jeong this time.
"And… regardless, the Acting Sect Leader has shown me trust, even finding me admirable. Whereas in Bangjang’s eyes, I must still seem like nothing but an unreliable brat."
Bop Jeong frowned. Namgung Dowi shrugged.
"If I weren’t a fool, I’d naturally choose the place where my value is appreciated. And with friends there, what reason would Namgung have to hesitate? There’s absolutely no reason for us to return to Five Great Family."
At those words, Im Sobyeong snickered.
"I thought you were just some yangban born into a high status, but it turns out you’re successful because you’re actually capable. How’s a guy like me, born with nothing, supposed to survive?" ("잘난 신분 가지고 태어난 양반인 줄 알았더니, 그냥 자기가 잘나신 거였네. 없이 태어난 놈 서러워서 살겠나.")
Laughter spread a little more loudly in response to Im Sobyeong’s teasing.
But Bop Jeong couldn’t laugh. Far from laughing, his gaze grew colder as he stared at Baek Cheon.
‘This… this is why I had to stop this situation.’
It was something he already knew. Gaining Mount Hua means gaining everything, and losing Mount Hua means losing everything.
That was why he had led Hyun Jong and Chung Myung, the center of Mount Hua, down a path that they could not escape from. However, someone who was neither Hyun Jong nor Chung Myung, someone completely unexpected, suddenly appeared and ruined all of his arrangements.
'No, not yet.'
Bop Jeong suppressed the rising anger and fury within him. In the past, he might have roared in rage at this point, but he wasn’t the same as before. He still had a way forward.
Bop Jeong focused all his remaining patience as he stared at Baek Cheon. If everything had come to this point because of Baek Cheon, then breaking Baek Cheon’s will could restore everything to its natural order.
"Acting Sect Leader."
"Yes, Bangjang."
"Acting Sect Leader, do you think that Mount Hua's choice is the right one?"
At that question, Baek Cheon stared at Bop Jeong without saying a word.
The heavy gaze of Bop Jeong, the giant of his times, was fixed on Baek Cheon.
"You’ve made your choice with youthful passion, raising your voice, but you’ve yet to prove that your decision is valid. If you’ve made a wrong choice based solely on impulse, how will you bear the responsibility for all the bloodshed that will follow?"
Baek Cheon's lips pressed tightly together. Bop Jeong intensified his attack.
"Acting Sect Leader, are you really going to take the path of becoming an eternal sinner? Are you really not aware of how much misery that choice will bring upon the world?"
It was a scathing rebuke. Bop Jeong’s hands, resting on his knees, trembled uncontrollably under the weight of his emotions.
Baek Cheon looked at Bop Jeong quietly. As if prepared to bear the weight of all his decisions. After a long pause, he finally spoke slowly.
"Did you say it was youthful passion?"
"That's right."
"I believe you are misunderstanding something, Bangjang."
Bop Jeong's gaze grew fierce.
"What misunderstanding could there possibly be here!"
"Of course, I am still a young man full of passion. Naturally, I can make wrong judgments, and my experience is certainly lacking."
"If you knew...."
"But."
At that moment, Baek Cheon's voice, without any highs or lows, cut off Bop Jeong's words and dug sharply into his ears.
"I may be that way, but Sect Leader of Mount Hua does not decide the sect’s direction based on mere passion. That is what it means to be Sect Leader of Mount Hua."
"What…"
"Please keep this in mind. The person Bangjang faces now is not the second-class disciple Baek Cheon, but the Acting Sect Leader of Mount Hua, Baek Cheon."
"Acting Sect Leader!"
"And!"
At that moment, Baek Cheon glared at Bop Jeong with a face filled with intensity.
"If you, Bangjang, truly know what kind of place Mount Hua is, if you know what the ancestors of Mount Hua did for the world! Before you swear foolishly and raise your voice."
Baek Cheon's icy gaze cut through Bop Jeong as he paused briefly.
"First, show the respect that is due to the representative of Mount Hua. That is the duty of any decent person. Do you understand?"
Udeuk!
The prayer beads in Bop Jeong’s hand finally shattered into pieces.
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|Note
Thank you for the Chapter"""