Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1498. How could I not follow? (3)
Editor: Hoamz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
"Please, have a seat for now."
How much time has passed?
The Pavilion Master, having composed his heart to some degree, offered them seats.
“Would you like a cup of tea?”
“No, it’s fine.”
“There is no need to refuse.”
As soon as the Pavilion Master sent a signal to the outside, servants quickly came in and served tea to the disciples of Mount Hua who had taken their seats. Baek Cheon was inwardly impressed.
'Incredible.'
Such a person had just passed away moments ago, and the Pavilion Master had already regained his composure despite experiencing that person's death.
Though who knows what he felt inside, at least outwardly, that's how it appeared.
This time, Baek Cheon's gaze turned briefly to Chung Myung.
Normally, he was the type of guy who would have thrown a fit about being served tea instead of alcohol in a tavern, but now he was silently accepting the tea.
Baek Cheon thought carefully, perhaps this meant that Chung Myung was taking this situation far more seriously.
At that moment, the Pavilion Master softly cleared his throat and spoke.
"Since Master-nim told me to help, I will help Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword with all my strength as Beggar Union's Sect Leader."
Baek Cheon's eyes slightly darkened.
'Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword, huh.'
He would help Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword, not Mount Hua or Heavenly Comrade Alliance. That could be interpreted in several ways. Depending on how one viewed it…
“Um, but…”
"Hm?"
Just as Baek Cheon’s mind was about to get tangled, Jo-Gol suddenly opened his mouth.
“What should we call you, Sect Leader?”
Everyone's eyes instantly focused on Jo-Gol. As everyone stared blankly, Jo-Gol flinched and hurriedly waved his hands.
“N- No, tha- that came out a little strange! No, that’s not it. I was asking what we should call Sect Leader, that's..."
"...If you are referring to my title... there are several. The most common title is ‘Traceless Beggar’ (무흔개(無痕丐)). Sometimes I was also called ‘Unrestrainable Wind’ (난구풍(難拘風)).”
"Ah..."
They thought it was a title that was obvious but fitting. Perfect aliases for the intangible Beggar Union Sect Leader.
"But if possible, call me Wind Shadow Beggar (풍영개(風影丐)). I like that one best. Wind Shadow Beggar Yi Gwa (이과(李果)). That is my name."
"Wind Shadow Divine Beggar. Shadow of the wind." (Hyeonpung’s title translates to Wise Wind Divine Beggar)
Chung Myung, who had been silent, said with a smirk.
“A title that brings someone to mind.”
The Pavilion Master… No, Wind Shadow Divine Beggar smiled slightly as if embarrassed.
“Don’t you think each person has their own preferences?”
“How carefree, having preferences and all. Some of us are stuck with titles that don’t even suit us. Must be nice to be in Beggar Union. You get to make your own title and spread it around.”
"I think it's a title that suits you well, Chivalrous Sword."
Chung Myung frowned slightly. But before he could say anything, Jo-Gol cut in again.
"And um, I have another question."
"What is it?"
Jo-Gol asked with his face completely scrunched up as if he really didn't understand.
"That... this also seems a bit strange to bring up in words, but why are you speaking formally to that guy...?"
This time, everyone's eyes turned to Chung Myung. Now that he mentioned it, Wind Shadow Divine Beggar had indeed been using a formal tone with Chung Myung.
Jo-Gol added.
"N- No, well, Sasuk is the acting sect leader so I understand the formal speech, but that... No, come to think of it, this guy is Heavenly Comrade Alliance’s general, so maybe that makes sense...?"
But it just didn’t feel like that was the reason. It was just that Jo-Gol couldn't phrase it coherently. Wind Shadow Divine Beggar answered the question as if it were nothing.
“There’s no special reason. It’s simply not a disciple’s place to speak lowly of someone his master respected.”
“No, there's something called a hierarchy..."
"If anything, that hierarchy is the reason. Could you speak casually to someone your master addressed formally?"
"Uh..."
Jo-Gol was speechless. Definitely not. Isn't it a situation where a grandson speaks informally to someone their great-great-grandfather spoke formally to? Since further rebuttal was difficult, Jo-Gol also quietly shrank back.
“Any other questions?”
“...No. There isn’t any.”
“Um… Then now we need to discuss the internal affairs of Beggar Union.”
Wind Shadow Divine Beggar’s gaze shifted slightly to the side and landed on Isong Baek.
“Ah…”
Isong baek quickly noticed the discomfort and nodded.
“I’ll step outside.”
“Mm. That would be...”
“Let him stay.”
Wind Shadow Divine Beggar and Isong Baek looked back at Chung Myung simultaneously.
“It’s strange to pretend he doesn’t know after coming all this way.”
“Hmm. If Chivalrous Sword says so.”
Wind Shadow Divine Beggar still looked uneasy but eventually nodded. Either way, to his knowledge, Isong Baek was a man of few words and deep thought, so he likely wouldn’t make trouble.
Wind Shadow Divine Beggar fixed his gaze on Chung Myung and was about to speak. But surprisingly, Chung Myung took a subtle step back.
Seeing this, Wind Shadow Divine Beggar perceptively opened his mouth toward Baek Cheon.
“As you know, Acting Sect...”
“Please speak comfortably. Right now, the content is more important than the formality.”
“...Is that alright?"
"Yes."
Wind Shadow Divine Beggar looked at Baek Cheon as if to probe him, then nodded. He thought to himself that Baek Cheon seemed even more pragmatic than he had heard.
"As you know, the current Beggar Union is in a state without a commander."
“...So I have heard. With the sect leader absent, it can’t be helped. But what I don’t understand is, was it really necessary to go that far? There was no need to completely hide yourself…”
“That’s not quite the case.”
Wind Shadow Divine Beggar quietly shook his head.
“The reason I had to feign illness wasn’t just to avoid meeting outsiders. The bigger reason lies within.”
“What exactly do you mean…?”
"Beggar Union disciples are inherently free-spirited. If something displeases them, they won't hesitate to challenge even their sect leader. Had I remained visibly present, Beggar Union would have torn itself apart."
“...So they can't quarrel with a sect leader who isn't there."
“Exactly.”
Baek Cheon nodded as if he understood. Wind Shadow Divine Beggar quickly continued speaking.
"Since my Master established this place, successive sect leaders have all taken similar approaches. When dissatisfaction built up to the point of overflowing, they would seek out a like-minded successor and appropriately pass on the position to suppress the discontent."
Everyone nodded their heads. They weren't sure if it was a good method, but it surely would have been effective.
"Were you planning to move in that way this time as well?"
“That’s right.”
"Then may I ask who the successor you originally had in mind was?"
At those words, Wind Shadow Divine Beggar snickered.
“Don’t worry. It wasn't Hong Dae-gwang."
"Oh my."
"Right."
“Sect Leader has common sense."
“...Poor branch leader.”
Involuntary sighs escaped the Mount Hua disciples' mouths. They had grown quite fond of him, but it seemed Hong Dae-gwang wasn’t even considered a candidate for the position in the first place.
“Well, it’s true he wouldn’t have been able to handle such matters.”
"Indeed. It is not a matter of ability. It's just that his temperament does not fit."
This was something everyone had to agree on. It didn't make sense for Hong Dae-gwang, who was hot-blooded by nature, to live as the Heavenly Ascension Tower Pavilion Master.
"So that's how it is. I roughly understand."
"Huh?"
Then Yoon Jong flinched and turned to Baek Cheon.
“What do you understand, Sasuk?”
"I'm saying I can guess what Sect Leader intends to do from now on. There must be considerable dissatisfaction within Beggar Union already. Even if he shows himself again now, it would be difficult to regain control.”
"...That does make sense."
"Perhaps Sect Leader intends to use this opportunity to restore lost authority by passing the sect leader position to a successor."
"Ah."
Yoon Jong also nodded as if he now understood. Wind Shadow Divine Beggar stared intently at Baek Cheon with a look of renewed surprise.
"...You are cleverer than I heard."
“You flatter me.”
As Baek Cheon bowed his head slightly, Mount Hua's disciples exchanged glances.
“Then it’s simple. Just elect a new sect leader and have that person help us.”
Tang Soso agreed with those words.
"And it would be even better if it's a command, not a request. Right, Sago?"
“...If it's the predecessor's command, following it is the proper way."
Thinking things were working out better than expected, Tang Soso smiled brightly. Wind Shadow Divine Beggar let out a long breath and spoke.
"Yes. Acting Sect Leader's words are correct. That's the method I'm thinking of. Then most problems will be resolved."
“It’s simple.”
"Indeed. It is simple. However, there is a small... trivial problem."
"A problem... is it?"
A flicker of anxiety crossed the faces of Mount Hua disciples. Where have they experienced this before…?
“You don’t have to look at me like that. It’s not that big of a problem. It’s something that can be easily solved.”
“Ah… if that’s the case, then that’s a relief.”
“May I ask what the problem is?”
Baek Cheon asked. Wind Shadow Divine Beggar opened his mouth with a furrowed brow.
“Mm. Actually, due to the unexpected turn of recent events in Kangho, many changes have occurred within Beggar Union as well.”
"What kind of...?"
"Under the pretext that they couldn't just stand by while the sect leader was absent in such an urgent situation, the elders have banded together and created their own faction. In fact, that's just the superficial justification; in reality, their purpose would be to seize power within Beggar Union."
“Y- You couldn’t stop that movement?”
Wind Shadow Divine Beggar shook his head.
"There was no need to stop it from the beginning. It was something that commonly occurred over the past hundred years. When the force seemed to grow too large, it was a matter of passing the position to a successor and crushing the force. It's something I've done many times, so I didn't bother to make a move."
"Aah, as expected."
"We believed in you. Then this time as well..."
“However, that…”
It seemed the story wasn’t over yet. As Wind Shadow Divine Beggar spoke with a slightly troubled tone, Baek Cheon’s face gradually turned pale.
"Actually, this time the situation is somewhat different. No one could have predicted Evil Tyrant Alliance would suddenly act like this."
“That’s... true?”
"So the problem has grown a little, just a little bigger. Those who felt a sense of crisis united faster than Master-nim and I had anticipated, and because of that, we missed the appropriate timing for intervention."
“...”
“On top of that, in such an urgent situation, we couldn’t possibly hand over the sect master seat to still-unqualified candidates, so they’re now holding out, insisting that they themselves will take the seat…”
“That’s rebellion.”
“Subversive elements."
"If this were Mount Hua, they would be hung upside down from the Lotus Peak."
Mount Hua disciples snorted.
"Hmm."
Baek Cheon nodded with a heavy sigh.
"I understand the situation. To summarize, there's a force within Beggar Union that opposes the sect leader. Since they're not insignificant, we must accept some degree of discord. That's what Sect Leader is saying."
"Exactly."
Baek Cheon slowly nodded his head.
It certainly wasn't that big of a problem. In any sect, such issues frequently arise when choosing a successor. Compared to what he was worried about, it was a really trivial problem.
"We will do our best to assist you, Sect Leader."
"Will you do that?"
"Yes. Then there's something we need to confirm first. What's the scale of this force within the Beggar Union?"
"Hmm. It's about two-tenths."
"Two-tenths."
It wasn't a small faction, but it wasn't that threatening either. As long as they could suppress the discontent from the rest, two-tenths could simply be crushed.
“Understood. Then, we’ll restrain that two-tenths...”
“No, that’s not it...”
"Yes?"
A slightly ashamed look crossed Wind Shadow Divine Beggar’s face.
"...We are the two-tenths."
"What?"
"Or perhaps a little less..."
"...What?"
"But well, it's a trivial problem. Does the size of the faction really matter that much? We can just reclaim it again.”
“...Wa- Wait? The sect leader's side is two-tenths? That twenty percent has to fight and win against eight-tenths?"
"Ah, it's not quite eighty percent. There are neutrals too."
"Then how much?"
“About six-tenths?”
The eyes of Baek Cheon, who had been calm all this time, suddenly shook as if an earthquake hit.
“N- No, Sect Leader. Given the circumstances, what exactly are we supposed to be helping with? That... Divine Beggar seemed so supremely confident earlier, didn’t he?"
Wind Shadow Divine Beggar shrugged his shoulders and looked at one person.
"Well, he must have trusted in a certain someone's abilities, wouldn't you say?"
“...”
"Even the same task has different difficulty levels depending on who does it."
To win against six-tenths with two-tenths is by no means easy. But if the one leading the two-tenths is the legendary 'Plum Blossom Sword Sovereign', it no longer becomes such a big deal.
That’s why Divine Beggar Hyeonpung had been able to enter eternal rest with such peace of mind.
“I am merely following the trust of such a master.”
At Wind Shadow Divine Beggar's gentle yet firm words, all eyes turned to Chung Myung.
Sure enough, even after hearing about this entire situation, a smile was clearly formed on Chung Myung's lips.
"Hmm. So that's how it is?"
Mumbling, Chung Myung abruptly stood up from his seat and approached Wind Shadow Divine Beggar. Wind Shadow Divine Beggar gazed at him with expectant eyes.
Chung Myung spoke.
“So… we need to use the two-tenths force that follows the sect leader well to smash the alliance of elders who have already almost seized control of Beggar Union, and proudly seat our ally in the sect leader position, is that it?"
“Exactly.”
"As for the method, I can somehow figure it out on my own?"
"Yes."
“I see. Haha. Just a moment.”
"Huh?"
Click.
Chung Myung reached his hand under the desk where Wind Shadow Divine Beggar was sitting. The mechanism that Wind Shadow Divine Beggar had operated earlier activated again.
"Hm?"
Kkigigigigik!
With a heavy mechanical sound, the upper floor door they thought would never open again began to part. The staircase slowly descended.
"Why the mechanism?”
“Chung Myung-ah?”
"What are you trying to...”
At that moment, Chung Myung's eyes rolled back until only the whites showed. His body shot in a straight line towards the stairs like a beam of light.
"That senile old man! He was so good with his words!"
"Get him!"
“Stop him!”
Sensing a strange sense of foreboding the moment the stairs began to descend, Mount Hua disciples quickly leapt forward and pounced on Chung Myung, who was racing up the stairs.
“Let go! Won't you let go?!"
"Wh- What are you trying to do, you bastard!"
"Tell that old codger to come down and see me! What, trust? Trust my ass! He's crazy!"
Chung Myung's feet kicked wildly at the empty air. The gusts kicked up from his toes pounded uselessly against the ceiling with booming thuds.
“Won’t you get up? Huh!”
“Chung Myung-ah! H- He passed away!"
"He might still be alive! Are you sure? Did you check!"
"Say something that makes sense!"
Chung Myung's two eyes rolled frighteningly.
"So what if he's dead? So what? Is it over when you croak?"
“It is!”
“It’s not over! It’s not over! I used to think so too! Let me go!”
"What the hell are you talking about, you crazy bastard!"
Chung Myung was now literally foaming at the mouth.
"I wondered why things were going so smoothly! Hey, you crazy old man! Come out and see me! Uaaaah!"
Chung Myung's desperate scream pierced through the Heavenly Ascension Tower and echoed far and wide.
Among the people of that era, there wasn't a single one who was normal.
And Chung Myung was paying the brutal price for having forgotten that fact for just a moment.
|Note
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 : 144 Chapters
Advance chapters of Got a Gallery in the Wild : 10
clearly all the best people from the war were master trolls