Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1196. How on earth did you endure this? (1)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
“How is it?”
"It's unlikely, but... there aren't any problems, right?"
"Is he going to be okay?"
Tang Soso turned her head with a sullen expression. Lying in her line of sight was Chung Myung, groaning on his bedding, looking thoroughly miserable.
"Well… um…"
Hesitating for a moment, she finally squeezed her eyes shut and said,
"It’s an Olhwabyung." (울화병(鬱火病), Depression and mental illness occurring because of the suppression of too much anger.)
“Olhwabyung?”
“Yes, Olhwabyung.”
Yoon Jong blinked his eyes.
"So... Uh... So you’re saying...?"
He glanced at Chung Myung, who was lying sick, and asked in a trembling voice.
"That the illness called Olhwabyung really do exist?"
"It is. You must’ve heard stories about people who, after experiencing something major, slowly waste away until they die."
“....I heard about it.”
“That’s Olhwabyung.”
Yoon Jong turned his head again and looked at Chung Myung who was lying there. Next to him, Hye Yeon gently dipped a cloth in water and placed it on his forehead with delicate care.
Just by looking at the extremely careful way he cared for the sick, one could tell what a kind-hearted Buddhist Monk Hye Yeon was.
Though, if there was a small issue…
“Aryavalokitesvara Bodhisattva gambhirayam prajnaparamitayam caryam caramano.” (Heart Sutra.)
"M- Monk! Please don’t recite sutras while tending to the patient!"
"It’s felt like you're preparing a funeral!"
"Show some delicacy! Delicacy!"
When Five Swords shouted, Jo-Gol, who was about to join and chant a Tao sutra, flinched and quietly backed away. Yoonjong, who was glaring at Jo-Gol, clicked his tongue and looked at Tang Soso.
"No, but to think he got Olhwabyung..."
"It is quite unusual."
Tang Soso pursed her lips.
"This kind of illness typically happens to weak hearted people or old folks who are all pent-up with frustration, but that yangban..."
“Yeah, no.”
"Definitely not. He’s the last person who should be suffering from something like this."
“Of all the people I know, the one who fits the word ‘weak hearted’ the least is Chung Myung Sahyung.”
“Right?”
Yoon Jong looked at Chung Myung who was groaning and clicked his tongue repeatedly.
"It’s one thing for him to have an Olhwabyung, but he’s a martial artist. For him to be bedridden because of it…"
“N- No, Sahyung. That’s not something to take lightly."
“Huh? Why?”
Jo-Gol said with a slightly pale expression.
"If you think about it, this is really serious, isn’t it? That guy didn’t even groan when he was beaten to a pulp in the Northern Sea."
"But now such a person is clutching his head and lying down, which means he must be genuinely suffering."
"…That makes sense."
Hearing that, Yoon Jong couldn't help but feel a bit sympathetic toward the sight of Chung Myung lying there... No, not really, to be honest…. but still!
"Just how much anger must’ve built up..."
"I know, right..."
As soon as they spoke those words, their gazes naturally turned toward one spot.
In one corner of the room sat Baek Cheon, leaning against the wall with a look as if he’d lost everything in the world. His head was drooping to the side, and even his complexion seemed to have faded a bit…
Sensing all the eyes on him, Baek Cheon slowly parted his cracked lips.
"I...."
His trembling lips let out a voice that was barely alive.
"Me, becoming the acting sect leader..."
"…Was it really something that would make him collapse like this?"
"....."
"Really?"
Who knows, Sasuk? Who knows?
“So, to that bastard, … rather than having Jang Ilso screwing him over… or Magyo’s resurgence… or Southern Edge Sect running wild and Shaolin dancing in front of him, me becoming acting sect leader is more frustrating?”
"...Is that what this means?"
"I should just die, I really should… What honor and wealth have I ever asked for..."
Baek Cheon began to wither as if crumbling away. A sigh escaped from Yoon Jong’s mouth as he looked back and forth between Baek Cheon, who had lost his mind, and Chung Myung, who was lying sick.
This must be what they mean by a fight with no winners.
"In all my life, I never thought I’d see a martial artist fall ill with an Olhwabyung. That guy really is something else."
"Well, that's a bit wrong."
"Argh! What the—!"
"Ple- Please, Monk! Speak before you appear!"
Hye Yeon had crept up on them, abandoning Chung Myung, and suddenly thrusted his shiny, bald head into their conversation. Startled, everyone jumped back, and with a slightly sheepish look, he apologized.
“...Amitabha, I apologize. It just seemed like you were having an interesting conversation.”
“But why do you say I’m wrong?”
Hye Yeon nodded and continued speaking.
"There’s nothing strange about a martial artist suffering from an Olhwabyung. In fact, it’s just a matter of phrasing. Martial artists are actually the most prone to such illnesses."
"Huh? But I’ve never heard of a martial artist dying from Olhwabyung."
“But if you change the wording a little, it’s a story you've likely heard quite often. Isn’t there a specific term used in the martial world for when one's body starts acting strangely due to pent-up frustation?"
“Huh? C- Could it be, heart demons (심마/心魔)?”
"Precisely."
Hye Yeon smiled serenely.
"And when you think about it, energy deviation (주화입마(走火入魔)) caused by hearth demons can also be seen as a broader version of the same phenomenon. It’s not uncommon for people to fall into such a state due to mental shock."
“Is that so?”
"So if you think about it, there’s no one more prone to an Olhwabyung than a martial artist. People who live ordinary lives don’t guard against this illness the way martial artists watch out for heart demons or energy deviation."
"…Now that you mention it, that does seem true."
"When you think about it, aren’t martial artists the weakest against this?"
"They’re definitely the most prone to Olhwabyung illnesses."
After all, martial artists are the kind of people who don’t bother distinguishing right from wrong and draw their swords the moment things go south. Ordinary people would either resolve their disputes through dialogue or seek the local authorities to file a complaint, but a martial artist? They’d rather charge head-on.
No wonder they’re the type most likely to get sick from pent-up frustrations.
Especially that guy—he's one of the most hot-tempered and irritable among martial artists. Honestly, when you think about it, it's a miracle he hasn't already succumbed to some heart demon all this time…
“W- Wait a minute. Are you saying Chung Myung’s actually fallen to his heart demons?”
"He succumbed to heart demon deviation just because Sasuk became the acting sect leader?"
"Is he even human?"
As Baek Cheon’s complexion grew even paler, Tang Soso flatly cut in.
"No, this is just a simple case of an Olhwabyung."
"......"
"It’s not heart demon deviation or anything like that. It’s just pure, over suppressed anger. If it were heart demons or energy deviation, I’d know."
“True.”
“That’s right. If it were that, Soso would have known.”
"This has nothing to do with martial arts. Honestly, if it were anyone else, they might’ve fallen into heart demon deviation by now, but maybe because Sahyung’s internal energy is so pure and his martial skills are so advanced, it didn’t affect him that way. In any case, he’s just lying down because he couldn’t handle his temper."
“…Should we be relieved?”
“Does it look like there’s anything to be relieved about?”
Yoon Jong looked at Chung Myung, who was lying down while clutching his head, with a strangely satisfied smile.
“The saying, 'Day by day, renewed and always renewing’ comes to mind.”
"Isn’t that supposed to be a positive saying?"
“Yes, it’s a positive phrase. You know, they say he’s infamous for having a rotten temper, but each day, he finds new ways to be even more insufferable. How could that not be impressive?"
“Why don’t you just insult him outright?”
“You madman.”
At that moment, Yoo Iseol entered the room, looking around before spotting Baek Cheon slumped in a corner. She poked him a couple of times with her finger.
"Sahyung."
"Sahyung."
"H- Huh?"
Baek Cheon, who had barely managed to catch the last bit of his consciousness that was fading away, raised his head and looked at Yoo Iseol.
"The sect leaders. They’ve all gathered. We need to go."
“The sect leader.... I have to go to the meeting. Right. I have to go....”
Baek Cheon, whose color had long since faded, got up like some sluggish, spineless creature.
“I have to go. I’m the acting sect leader… A young guy like me can’t afford to be late. Don’t worry. I’ll be there soon.”
Tang Soso watched as Baek Cheon stumbled forward with wobbly steps, and a thought crossed her mind.
“Jo-Gol Sahyung.”
"Hm?"
“Why don’t Sahyung just be the next sect leader?”
"…What nonsense are you spouting now?"
“A good position should be taken by a person like Sahyung.”
Feeling an inexplicable sense of unease, Jo-Gol was about to retort when—
“Wh- Where? Where do you think you’re going?”
Chung Myung, who had been lying down, suddenly shot up and looked around with wide, frenzied eyes.
“The sect leaders? meeting?”
"…What’s up with him now?"
“Soso, don’t you have any sleeping pills? One that’d put him out for, say, a month?”
“I have some sleeping poison…”
"Give it to me. I have a use for it."
"…If you misuse it, someone could die."
"That might actually be better. Just think about it."
Chung Myung kicked off the blanket covering him, stumbling as he tried to stand but losing his balance from dizziness.
“Th- That…”
“What are you doing, this guy!”
As everyone tried to stop him and asked what was going on, Chung Myung’s eyes overturned in exasperation.
“I, I’m going too!”
“No, you’re not in any condition to go....”
“N- No! Who… Who knows what that guy’s going to do?! How hard do you think I rebuilt this Mount Hua Sect! I can’t let that guy ruin everything!”
“Chung Myung-ah... He’s your Sasuk, you know."
“Yes. I can’t let that shitty Sasuk mess things up.”
No matter how you look at it, you’re the one destroying Mount Hua right now, Chung Myung-ah. And at this rate, you’re probably going to ruin it even more spectacularly.
“I, I have to go.......”
Chung Myung, who was about to move his feet, clutched the back of his head and staggered.
“Uurgh. My head…”
“Look, look, he’s about to collapse.”
“Shouldn’t someone go help him?”
“I know we should, but honestly, I don’t want to touch him.”
"Me too."
Those around him reacted with disdain, but Chung Myung was too far gone to notice any of it.
“I, I will protect Mount Hua.... Mount Hua....”
Five Swords, who were blankly staring at Baek Cheon walking away like a zombie and Chung Myung following him like a sick person, all let out a collective sigh.
This sect… It’s in great shape.
***
“First of all…”
Tang Gun-ak cleared his throat and began to speak.
If Hyun Jong were here as usual, there would’ve been no need for him to say anything, but it seemed Hyun Jong had intentionally chosen not to attend today, probably to give Baek Cheon more authority and support.
As the de facto vice-leader of Heavenly Comrade Alliance, Tang Gun-ak needed to get everyone on the same page and initiate the discussion.
“As you’re all aware, and though it’s not news to anyone, Baek Cheon Dojang has assumed the position of acting sect leader of Mount Hua.”
“Yes, Gaju-nim.”
"There was a lot going on at the time, so we brushed past it, but it’s something that deserves proper congratulations."
Everyone in the gathering nodded in agreement.
“Yes, indeed… With fresh, young blood joining the core ranks of Heavenly Core Alliance, it’s only right that we first offer our congratulations to the Acting Sect Leader who will shape the future of Mount Hua and the Alliance. It’s only fitting, but…”
Tang Gun-ak’s gaze drifted to Baek Cheon and Chung Myung, seated before him, his expression deflating.
“...Acting Sect Leader.”
"Yes?"
“…Why on earth do you both look like that?”
"......"
“Did you run into Magyo on your way here?”
Baek Cheon, with a face that seemed drained of life, replied in a sorrowful tone.
“I’m… fine. Please, don’t worry about me.”
While Baek Cheon sat there like a sickly chicken, Chung Myung looked even worse. He swung between despondency and rage, almost as if he were losing his mind. Every breath he took seemed to take him from despair to fury and back again.
'Maengju-nim......'
Tang Gun-ak shut his eyes, feeling a sudden wave of dizziness.
‘How on earth did you endure this?’
It was at that moment when the excruciating pain, an inevitable experience for anyone dealing with Mount Hua, began to descend upon Tang Gun-ak as well.
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