Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1235. Is that so? (5)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
The weather in Hainan was unpredictable. When the sun beats down fiercely, strong rains and typhoons are quick to follow. Because of this, those who have lived and taken root in Hainan tend to simply accept most storms as they come.
But now, looking out the window of the pavilion at the typhoon rushing in, the face of Hainan Sect Leader Geum Yangbaek was filled with deep concern.
‘It’s raging.’
His mind was as chaotic as the scene before him. As the sect leader of the Great Hainan Sect, he should be guiding everyone, but the burden on his shoulders now felt too heavy to bear.
'If only...'
Watching the trees sway back and forth, he couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh. For a sect leader to think it would be better if the typhoon just swept everything away was hardly fitting.
'I've grown weak too.'
No, maybe it wasn’t that he himself had grown weak, but that those he was up against were so overwhelmingly powerful. Be it Evil Tyrant Alliance or the ruthless Kangho.
Knock, knock. Just then, cutting through the sound of wind, came a knock at the door.
“Sect Leader. This is Im Gyeom.”
“Come in.”
The door opened slightly and a gust of wind blew into the room. The gust caused a hanging scroll decorating the wall to flutter up before falling to the floor with a thud.
Geum Yangbaek's gaze landed on the fallen scroll, or more precisely, on the inscription written upon it.
Spirit Like the Sea, Chivalry Like the Waves (의기여해 협의여랑(意氣如海 俠義如浪)). These eight characters symbolize Hainan.
Geum Yangbaek unconsciously squeezed his eyes shut.
“The wind is fierce, Sect Leader.”
As Im Gyeom commented, glancing at the open window. Geum Yangbaek slowly shook his head.
"Leave it. It's not as turbulent as my mind."
“....”
“What’s the matter?”
"First..."
Im Gyeom took a short deep breath before speaking.
"As you ordered, we tried to send the young disciples to their families, but..."
"Mm."
"Just as we were about to do so, the storm hit, so we decided to postpone until the wind calms down a bit.”
"I see."
Geum Yangbaek nodded slowly.
For full-grown men, it might be one thing. But for children with small feet, sending them out in this storm would be too harsh. Besides, while the storm rages, there’s little chance of any enemies approaching, so it wasn’t a bad choice.
“Did the children comply obediently?”
“Some resisted, but what can we do? Even if we have to scold them, we must get them to leave.”
"...You did well."
“And....”
Im Gyeom glanced at Geum Yangbaek before continuing.
“The requested excommunication…”
Geum Yangbaek sighed and said after seeing Im Gyeom's expression.
“Don’t hesitate. Let’s not waste time.”
“...Yes. Among the four hundred and seventy-six main disciples, including the elders at the main sect, seventy-eight have requested expulsion."
Geum Yangbaek silently closed his eyes again. Perhaps it was the chill of the wind, but his face looked even paler.
“…That’s fewer than I expected.”
“....”
"Does that mean the disciples' devotion to the sect runs deeper than I expected?"
“That’s....”
Im Gyeom hesitated to answer. However, when Geum Yangbaek urged him with his eyes, he finally sighed deeply and continued.
"While Sect Leader’s words aren't exactly wrong, it seems the disciples strongly believe that even if they're excommunicated and go to private homes, Evil Tyrant Alliance won't acknowledge it."
“....”
“So, scattered and isolated, they would just be eliminated one by one. It’s better to fight here, at least putting up some resistance…”
A bitter laugh escaped Geum Yangbaek's mouth.
"Yes. That makes sense too."
"Even those who do wish for excommunication would prefer to choose the side that offers even a glimmer of survival."
The two didn't bother discussing the loyalty and unity of those seeking excommunication. It was meaningless at this point.
If the disciples lack heart for Hainan, the fault lay with the sect leader and elders who had led Haiann poorly, and if they lack chivalry, it was also the fault of the sect leader and elders who failed to set an example of chivalry for the disciples.
No matter how they criticize, it would only be like spitting on their own faces, so what could they say?
“The excommunication is.... Right, the excommunication ceremonty is to be carried out as soon as the storm passes.”
“Excommunication?”
Geum Yangbaek let out a self-mocking chuckle. What meaning did such a thing hold at this point?
"Fine. Just let them go. What's so grand about erasing a name from the sect records?"
"...Sect Leader, that's not..."
"Hm?"
When Geum Yangbaek looked at him with a puzzled expression, Im Gyeom answered awkwardly.
"It’s not that I told them we would hold a ceremony; rather, the disciples themselves are requesting it."
“...What did you say?”
"That’s... they think they’ll need a solid defense against Evil Tyrant Alliance when the questioning comes."
At that moment, an indescribable sense of emptiness spread across Geum Yangbaek's face.
“Haha.... Ha....”
When the sun was at its peak, there were no shadows. The same holds true for Hainan. When the sect's influence was at its peak, there seemed to be no problems.
But at this moment, Geum Yangbaek was feeling the harsh realization deep in his bones.
‘What have I done all this time?’
He thought he had done his best, upholding the sect inherited from his predecessors. But now, as darkness closed in on the sect, he couldn’t deny the truth: everything he had trusted in was nothing more than an illusion.
“…Then we must do it.”
“Sect Leader....”
"If it's the last wish of those leaving the sect, can we deny them even that?"
Im Gyeom bit his lip as he watched Geum Yangbaek murmur bitterly.
“...That’s too much of a request.”
"Perhaps it is. But what can we do? We were the ones who taught them to be this way."
“But....”
"Let's stop here."
Geum Yangbaek let out a deep sigh with an exhausted face.
“Elder Im.”
“Yes, Sect Leader.”
"Still no word from outside?"
“…Perhaps because of the storm, there’s still nothing…”
Geum Yangbaek gave another bitter, self-mocking chuckle.
How many hours have passed since the storm came? And that was supposed to be the reason no word would come? In the end, it just means those messages were never coming in the first place.
His gaze weakly turned back to the window. The black clouds filling the sky seemed to reflect Hainan's current situation.
‘A storm will eventually pass, and the sun will rise again. But…’
Will the day come when Hainan sees the sun once more?
"Sect Leader…"
At that moment, Im Gyeom carefully opened his mouth.
"I believe the time has come to make a decision."
“...A decision?”
"Jayang's words weren't wrong. Holding out like this won't give us any answers. Rather..."
"Then do you believe that surrendering will yield an answer?"
Geum Yangbaek said with a sigh in his voice.
“I see. You’re suggesting we take the disciples and leave Hainan.”
"Yes, Sect Leader. Since Evil Tyrant Alliance doesn't seem to harm ordinary people... those who stay shouldn't face major problems. So..."
"Do you think I haven't considered that?"
“....”
“Haven’t I tell you? The one who most wants us to leave this island is none other than Evil Tyrant Alliance. If we leave here, our only destinations are Gangnam or Linyi. And do we have any allies waiting for us there?”
"That's..."
Geum Yangbaek shook his head.
“This isn’t a matter of choosing life or death. It’s merely choosing where to die. Leaving the place where we’ve laid down roots, only to die elsewhere while clutching at whatever life remains—that is no way of a person."
"Sect Leader..."
Geum Yangbaek raised his head and stared at Im Gyeom.
“Elder Lim.”
"Yes, Sect Leader."
“Do you really want to find a way?”
For a moment, suspicion rose in Im Gyeom’s eyes. The subtle shift in Geum Yangbaek’s tone made him strangely uneasy.
“...Is there a way?”
“There is a way… .... Yes, there is. There is a way.”
“What is the way?”
"What we want is simply for the name of Hainan to continue and for the disciples here to preserve their lives, is it not?"
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Then, we must be prepared to endure whatever humiliation it takes, don’t you agree?”
Im Gyeom's face instantly hardened.
“Co- Could it be....”
"There is a way. A way to not just preserve but make the name of Hainan renowned throughout the world."
Geum Yangbaek laughed as if mocking himself.
"If we surrender to Evil Tyrant Alliance and bow our heads at Jang Ilso's feet, at least all our disciples can preserve their lives."
“Sect Leader!”
Im Gyeom's voice burst out louder than the thunder outside.
“How can you say such a thing?”
“Paegun would accept us. No, not just accept us, but he will welcome us with open arms. He could become Evil Sects who achieved what no one else has done- bringing one of Ten Great Sects under his feet. They will treat us with respect and courtesy.”
“Enough!”
Im Gyeom glared at Geum Yangbaek with bloodshot eyes.
“Even if Sect Leader said it in jest, that is not something the sect leader of the Great Hainan Sect should say! How can you even utter such treacherous, reprehensible words?”
“Treasonous and reprehensible, you say.”
Geum Yangbaek laughed bitterly.
"What's so treacherous about it? How dare those who enjoyed what others bled to achieve, who stole and enjoyed what their benefactors should have enjoyed, speak so proudly of treachery and reprehensible?"
“Sect Leader!”
"...From the beginning, we weren't so different from Evil Sects. We were just pretending otherwise."
Geum Yangbaek slumped helplessly into his chair. He knew how absurd his words were. He just wanted to say them out loud once.
“So... If not, we simply accept it.”
“....”
“If we have no one to aid us, there’s nothing we can do alone. Our opponents are Jang Ilso, Evil Tyrant Alliance, and Venomous Heart Rakshasa (독심나찰(毒心羅刹)) Ho Gamyeong. Against those who humiliated even Shaolin and Hebei, what can we hope to accomplish? They’ve probably already anticipated our moves and set their traps.”
Im Gyeom hung his head low. He couldn't deny those words.
"What can we do..."
Kureureureng!
Thunder cracked and lightning tore through the sky following his disheartened murmur.
“I used to believe.”
“....”
"I once believed that just rising high, gaining fame, and receiving praise meant we were doing something right. But those weren't what truly mattered. What meaning is there in praise showered on a sect that's just an empty shell?"
“....”
"I should have fulfilled our duty. I should not have forgotten why Hainan is Hainan. Now we’re merely paying the price for being swayed by things we shouldn't have. Just... I'm sorry to the disciples who must pay the price together for the wrong choices of the previous generation and myself."
“Sect Leader....”
Geum Yangbaek's gaze turned to the distant horizon.
Across that sea, somewhere on that land, they would be there.
‘I should have sought them out to apologize in person at least once.’
Now, knowing that he would never have that chance left an ache in his heart. He could only hope his feelings would somehow reach them someday...
Kwaaaaang!
Suddenly, the door burst open with a force that nearly tore it from its hinges.
"Sect Leadeeeeer!"
Elder Jayang, soaked to the bone and looking as if he had seen a ghost, rushed inside.
"What is it!"
“Evil Tyrant Alliance? Has Evil Tyrant Alliance come?”
The two pale-faced men jumped to their feet.
"N- No, that's not it...!"
“...Then?”
Jayang shouted with a face white as sheet.
"You must come see! Guests! Guests have arrived!"
"Guests?"
As Geum Yangbaek started to question the absurdity of it when Jayang cried out again,
“Mo- Mo- Mount Hua!”
“...Huh?”
A scream-like voice filled the room.
"Mount Hua has come!"
Consider supporting me by subscribing on Patreon for 5$. The Patreon membership for Mount Hua and Infinite Mage is the same. The benefit:
Advance chapters of Mount Hua : 76
Advance chapters of Magic Realm Convenience Store Worker : 10 Chapters
|Note
Comments Box