Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1241. Is that all? (1)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
“Ugh…. My stomach….”
Jo-Gol muttered with a frown on his face. It seemed the excessive drinking from the previous night had taken its toll.
“People of Hainan really drink like savages."
"...They're probably saying the same thing about us on the other side."
“Still, I don’t think we’ve ever lost to anyone in drinking before, except for Beast Palace Gungju…”
“Let’s not count him as a human being.”
The same goes for Chung Myung, who had a drinking match with Beast Palace Gungju.
"Urk."
Jo-Gol let out another groan, rummaging through his belongings. Then, he took out Mount Hua’s uniform which he had taken extra care to protect during their journey.
"But why are we having a meeting at such dawn hours?"
“This isn’t early—it’s late.”
"What?"
Yoon Jong said with a bitter face.
"Even giving us one night to rest shows great patience from Sect Leader. Would you have been able to keep quiet and wait if outsiders showed up in a situation like this?”
“…No, I wouldn’t.”
"Right."
Yoon Jong shook his head.
“Judging by the faces of those who drank themselves into oblivion, they’ve been under much greater pressure than we expected. Even in such a state, they respected us by allowing us time to recover from our journey. Be grateful for their consideration and keep any unnecessary complaints to yourself.”
“Hey, Sahyung. You think I’m the type to complain about something like this? It’s not that I’m complaining—it’s just that I’m still a bit hungover. I’m worried I might end up looking terrible.”
“…I agree with that too.”
Yoon Jong smiled bitterly Truth be told, he barely remembered how they even made it back to their accommodations. No, in fact, since they hadn’t known where their accommodations were, it was safe to assume they hadn’t gotten here on their own two feet.
It was undeniably disgraceful. It definitely wasn't how guests visiting Hainan for important talks should behave.
But neither Yoon Jong nor Jo-Gol felt any regret.
"What was that guy thinking, making us drink so much?"
"How would we know? When you see the atmosphere calls for it, you just go along with it."
"Haah...."
Yoon Jong shook his head.
They say even a dog that stays in a school for three years can recite poems, but after spending more than three years around Chung Myung, reasons and justifications become less important. Instead, you just go with the flow, assuming he has some kind of plan.
"We'll be late. Hurry up."
“Wa- Wait! Just let me put on my pants…”
"...Put them on quickly."
"I'm done, I'm done!"
Yoon Jong sighed and opened the door. As soon as they stepped outside, they saw others emerging from their rooms as well.
“Did you sleep well last night, Namgung Sogaju?”
“What about you, Yoon Jong Sohyeop, did…. urgh…. sleep... urk... well..."
Yoon Jong looked at Namgung Dowi with a mix of pity and bemusement.
The man, who had always looked impeccably polished and striking even to other men, now resembled a pale, sickly ghost.
“…You don’t look too well….”
“Wha- What kind of alcohol…. No, what kind of human being….”
"No, you could have stopped."
“…Then it seems like I’m losing.”
“….”
Yoon Jong squeezed his eyes shut. It seemed this yangban was starting to lose it too.
“I’m dying.”
“Sago. You have to walk straight.”
"I am walking straight."
“Sago! Not that way, this way! Aigoo! And I even gave you hangover medicine!"
Soso. Why did you even bring hangover medicine all the way to Hainan?
Everyone stepping outside looked uniformly terrible. Well, it would be even stranger if they were in good condition, since they had forced themselves to down an ungodly amount of alcohol after a grueling journey, only to pass out.
“Wait. What about Nokrim King?”
"...Couldn't get up. Looks like we should move him to the Medicine Hall rather than the meeting room."
“…Is it that bad? Should we check his condition…”
"Uuh."
Namgung Dowi stopped Yoon Jong from going to Im Sobyeong's room.
“It’s best if you don’t go in. It’ll ruin your appetite.”
“….”
“We’ll have to wash those beddings after the meeting, at the very least, to avoid causing trouble.”
“….”
Yoon Jong rubbed his face with both hands in sheer despair.
'At this rate...'
Could they even manage to have a proper meeting?
“Then what about Sasuk?”
“Ah, now that you mention it? He's not usually one to be late..."
It was just then.
Bam.
One door swung wide open and Baek Cheon came out, walking at a pace neither fast nor slow.
Swoosh.
With every step, his pure white Taoist robe flowed elegantly like rippling waves.
The spotless white dao robe and perfectly groomed hair swept back, with the white headband around his forehead matching his skin that looked as if painted white—it all came together perfectly.
While others were half-dead, Baek Cheon looked as refined as usual... no, several times refined than usual.
Thud.
Baek Cheon came out into the hallway with flawless poise, looked at everyone with his sharp eyes before speaking.
“Is everyone here?”
The disciples of Mount Hua began murmuring among themselves.
“…At this point, that has to be a disease, right?”
“At this point, we might as well call it one….”
“This is the kind of person it takes to be Mount Hua’s Sect Leader.”
“…Fair enough.”
The disciples of Mount Hua nodded their heads involuntarily, while sect leaders from other sects shuddered at the sight.
"Is he even human..."
In particular, Namgung Dowi was almost trembling. Baek Cheon must have drunk more than he did yesterday, so how could he maintain such a refined appearance?
This couldn't be explained by martial arts prowess alone.
“As a guest and special envoy meeting the leader of another sect, it is imperative to conduct ourselves with utmost decorum…”
Baek Cheon trailed off and frowned. As his disapproving gaze poured down, everyone responded solemnly.
“…I’m sorry, Sasuk.”
“Apologies for not being good-looking.”
“Sorry.”
“We tried our best.”
“Tsk.”
Baek Cheon clicked his tongue, clearly displeased with his Sajils' haggard faces and appearances. Of course, they felt it was unfair, but just looking at Baek Cheon’s composed demeanor made any complaints they had to shrink back down their throats.
“Where's Chung Myung?”
“Who knows? Haven’t seen him? There’s no way he would be too drunk to get up.”
“Not in his room?”
“No?”
“Then where….”
Baek Cheon nodded as if he could guess.
“Never mind. Let’s go.”
“What about Chung Myung?”
"He'll come on his own."
Baek Cheon opened his mouth, looking at those in front of him.
“Once again, let me remind you: every one of you here represents everyone in Heavenly Comrade Alliance.”
“….”
"Think twice before speaking, and always be mindful of how you appear to them."
“…You’re saying that to everyone, right?”
“Let’s go.”
“Sasuk? No, but why are you only looking at me while saying that... Sasuk?”
Baek Cheon walked down the hallway, ignoring Jo-Gol's inquiry. Once he was out of sight and others could no longer see his face, he let out a short sigh. Even he wasn’t entirely free of tension.
This was his first mission as Mount Hua’s acting sect leader. Regardless of the outcome, he needed to present himself properly as Mount Hua's sect leader and Heavenly Comrade Alliance's special envoy.
With a determined face, he descended the stairs.
Then….
"Hehehehehe. Look at this bastard's face!"
“…Ah, just go away.”
“See, this is what happens when someone who can’t handle liquor tries to show off….”
“Who says I can’t! My nickname is the Whale of the Southern Seas!”
“Oh, so the whales around here are the size of minnows?”
“No, but really!”
“Aigoo. If I picked a fight and got thrashed like that, I would have bitten my tongue and died from the shame. How brave of you to hold your head so high.”
“Thrashed? It was a draw! A draw, I tell you!”
“If you’re the one who challenged someone fresh off a long journey and only managed a tie, that’s basically a loss.”
“Hnghhh.”
Gwak Hwanso's dark face flushed red and blue. Chung Myung, who had been teasing him endlessly, turned his gaze toward the stairs at the sound of approaching footsteps. Then, he smiled faintly as he saw Baek Cheon coming down the stairs.
"And look, our acting sect leader is perfectly fine like that. Unlike someone who looks half-dead.”
“…He really is.”
"Wow. That yangban drank more than me yesterday."
"Daesahyung. Let's admit it. We lost this one."
“…I wish our Daesahyung looked like that too.”
"Who said that last bit? Which punk was it?"
Baek Cheon shook his head as he watched Chung Myung side with Hainan's disciples and tease Gwak Hwanso.
'Really, he really is unstoppable.'
Normally, this place should have been heavy with tension. It was the day that Hainan’s future and Heavenly Comrade Alliance’s future were decided, and the disciples present should know that fact.
However, the drinking last night and Chung Myung's antics at showing up here first completely ruined the atmosphere.
The tension in Baek Cheon’s shoulders eased slightly. He had parted his lips to say something but ended up smirking instead.
“Chung Myung-ah.”
"Yeah?"
“…You’re embarrassing us. Get over here.”
“No, did I say anything wrong?”
“…Please, shut up.”
“Man, this is unfair!”
As Baek Cheon’s gesture, Yoon Jong and Jo-Gol hurriedly grabbed Cheong Myung by both arms and dragged him away.
“No! I say nothing wrong! He piece of shit started it, I swear! Why’s it always me—mmph! Mmmph!”
As Tang Soso skillfully put a piece of cloth in Chung Myung's mouth, Baek Cheon heaved a deep sigh and cupped his hands in greeting to Gwak Hwanso.
“I apologize. That’s… As you may already know… he’s just that kind of person….”
"...You must have it tough."
“Three days wouldn’t be enough time to explain.”
Baek Cheon paused and looked at Gwak Hwanso with curious eyes.
“But, you don’t look well?”
"...I'm naturally dark-skinned."
“Doesn’t quite seem that way…. Perhaps it’s a hangover?”
"Ah, I'm telling you I'm naturally dark-skinned! Hainan people are dark-skinned because of the sun!"
“Ah, then that’s a relief. I was worried you might have damaged your health by drinking just a little. But I suppose that wouldn't happen?"
“…Go trip over yourself.”
"Yes?"
“No, nothing.”
When Baek Cheon smiled pleasantly, Gwak Hwanso chuckled before straightening up and returning the cupped-hand greeting.
“I am Gwak Hwanso, the eldest disciple of Hainan. Our Sect Leader wishes to meet you, so please follow me. I will guide you."
“Please.”
Gwak Hwanso, who had washed away his playfulness, turned sharply. The waiting Hainan Sect disciples immediately surrounded Heavenly Comrade Alliance members, exuding the energy of trained martial artists as they formed a protective escort.
"Please understand that the path may be rough as the storm hasn't fully subsided."
"A martial artist who avoids the blowing wind is no martial artist at all. Please don't worry."
Gwak Hwanso smiled faintly, as if pleased with the answer.
“Open the doors.”
"Yes!"
The doors to the pavilion opened wide.
Baek Cheon's eyes narrowed slightly. The storm still raged outside. But Hainan's disciples stood in formation on both sides of their path, undaunted by the fierce wind and rain.
"...There's no need..."
“Please, say nothing.”
Gwak Hwanso spoke in a solemn voice.
"This isn't about seeking your approval. Nor is it about showing off power or making threats."
“….”
“It doesn’t matter what the outcome of the conversation you’re having with Sect Leader is. This is simply showing the minimum courtesy we owe to those who risked their lives to come to this Hainan that no one else would visit."
Baek Cheon's face stiffened slightly.
“Now, let’s proceed.”
Gwak Hwanso walked ahead into the wind and rain. Baek Cheon nodded and followed behind.
The disciples of Hainan, their clothes soaked from standing there for who knows how long, all drew their swords and raised them in silent salute toward Heavenly Comrade Alliance heading to the sect leader hall.
Only the sound of rain could be heard. A silent tribute without a single loud cheer.
Walking through this scene, the members of Heavenly Comrade Alliance soon caught sight of the Sect Leader Hall and, in front of it, Geum Yangbaek waiting to greet them.
Baek Cheon quietly cupped his rain-drenched palm.
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