Return of the Mount Hua Sect
Chap 716

“… … It’s so frustrating, really!”

Jo Gul frowned and sat down on the spot. Then, Yoon Jong, who was behind him, also let out a long sigh.

“How many days has it been?!”

“… … three days? Or four days?”

“Huh.”

Jo Gul let out a groan and looked around the mountain.

They searched all around for three days, but still couldn't find any trace. At first, they were also full of motivation, but at this point, they couldn't hold it any longer.

“No, sahyung. I'm not doing this because I'm tired or annoyed... … .”

“Does it seem right?”

“… … .”

Jo Gul's face showed the most unjust expression in the world. Yoon Jong was about to give him another round of scolding, but when he saw his face, he cleared his throat and avoided his gaze.

“Hmm. then?"

“… … Honestly, wandering around in the mountains is no big deal. How long has the b*stard been tormenting us?.”

“You’re right.”

Although this mountain is steep, it’s just like Mount Hua at most? For those who train on the rugged Mount Hua all day long, a mountain like this is like a backyard where children play.

"It’s just… … I think this is all for nothing.”

"It's for nothing?"

Baek Cheon, who had been poking the ground with the sheath of his sword, finally frowned. Seeing that, Jo Gul honestly continued.

“It's been over a hundred years. Honestly, I don't think there's anything left.”

Baek Cheon looked at him with a slightly displeased face and said.

"Didn't you see the tome?"

“There is no guarantee that there are other traces just because there is a martial manual, right?”

“This punk!”

Yoon Jong was about to shout something, but Baek Cheon raised his hand to stop him.

“There is nothing to blame about it. It's not exactly wrong, is it?"

"But still… … .”

Baek Cheon shook his head with a bitter face.

“Yes, as you said, if there were no traces left in the first place, even if we searched for ten days instead of three, we would still not be able to find anything.”

“That’s what I meant.”

“But how can you know if you don’t try it?”

Baek Cheon looked at Jo Gul with a serious face.

“We are now looking for traces of our ancestors. It is also to find the remains of those who risked their lives to protect the future generations. And yet we have just looked for it for three days and you said it was a waste of time?”

Frost-icy aura filled his eyes. Facing that, Jo Gul flinched and lowered his head.

“They threw their one and only lives like stubble into the war where victory was not certain. I understand your feelings, but that is not something a person who has received that grace would say.”

“… I’m sorry."

"And normally, you're not the kind of person to say such a thing too hastily."

Baek Cheon looked at Jo Gul and asked.

“Tell me. Why did you say that?”

"That… … .”

Jo Gul looked at him, then scratched his head awkwardly.

“If we find it, then it’s a good thing. No matter how long it takes, as long as we can find it, it's all good for me. But what if we are wasting time and can't find it in the end?”

“… .”

“I’m afraid he will be hurt, he… … .”

He’s not talking about him. But because he was afraid Chung Myung would be heartbroken, he said that.

Baek Cheon turned his head slightly, looking at the mountain he had grown accustomed to. Heaviness weighed at a corner of his heart.

'Is it really impossible?'

No matter how far you search, this place is in the mountains. Even if all of this mountain was dug up and removed, there was no guarantee that traces from a hundred years ago could be found.

“By the way, where did Chung Myung go?”

“… … He said he would look for it by himself.”

"By himself … .”

Jo Gul muttered for a moment, sighed deeply, and jumped up from his seat.

“Eucha!”

Then, with the sword in his hand, he started stabbing the floor again.

“Aigu, we just need to find it right? Goddamn it, I'll find it anyway!”

Baek Cheon spoke calmly as he watched him move forward with a loud scream for no reason.

“Let’s try a little harder. It's not just because of Chung Myung. If we are disciples of Mount Hua, we should at least try our best.”

“Yes, sasuk.”

“Yes, Sasuk. I will do my best!”

At the voices of Yoon Jong and Tang Soso, they seemed to have regained some vitality.

Baek Cheon glanced over in the direction Chung Myung was heading, then started moving again.

ripple ripple.

Gurgling gurgling.

A clear stream of water flowed continuously through the valley.

Chung Myung was sitting on a large rock, watching the flowing water with a blank face.

'Was it too much?'

Water continues to flow without looking back.

Even if this place had been a valley a hundred years ago, the flowing water would not be the same as it was a hundred years ago. It may actually be impossible to find traces of things that have already passed too long.

'Chung Jin… .'

Chung Myung's eyes turned to the sky.

The sky was so clear that nothing could be seen.

He was sure they met in a dream not too long ago, but strangely he couldn’t remember Chung Jin's face. He could recall it with effort, but he couldn’t stop his memory from fading little by little.

Chung Myung muttered softly as he vaguely looked at the flowing stream.

“Regretful… … .”

Perhaps what he is doing now is no different than using bare hands to stop the flowing stream.

What would Chung Jin say if he was watching him now from far and far away?

Would he tell him to stop doing useless things and go back to Mount Hua and raise the disciples?

Or would he nag him that he had to somehow find the trail and return to Mount Hua?

Chung Myung pondered and shook his head.

'I don't know.'

He can't find the answer.

Even if he answers alone, that is not what Chung Jin really said. The dead have no power and cannot give an answer.

Eyes cannot see, ears cannot hear, hands cannot reach and touch. Even if he reached out his hands with sorrow, the only thing he can touch is emptiness.

No matter how vivid everything inside him was, in the end he would never be able to meet him again.

Looking at the flowing water, Chung Myung thought.

Maybe he himself, like that water, should have just drifted away. It’s just… … .

𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑝.

At that time, Chung Myung slowly turned his head at the sound of someone from behind.

That person kept staring at Chung Myung without saying anything. Seeing the unexpected guest, Chung Myung unknowingly burst out laughing.

"What now?"

"Nothing."

As Chung Myung hesitated for a moment, lost in what to say, Yu Iseol came to the side of the rock he was sitting on and sat down on it.

And she looked at the flowing stream for a long time without saying a word. After a long whole of silence, she opened her mouth.

“… … before."

"Yes?"

Yu Iseol said without turning her head.

“You all went together. To where my father is buried.”

Chung Myung nodded.

"I'm glad I didn't go alone. I don't know what I would do if I went alone. But if my father sees people around me, he'll feel a little better.”

Chung Myung looked at her with strange eyes.

It's not common for Yu Iseol to express her inner feelings. And it was very strange to hear her talk so much and in a well-coordinated manner.

But what made Chung Myung feel even more unfamiliar was the fact that she was trying to comfort him.

“… My father."

Yu Iseol slightly closed her eyes. The tips of her long eyelashes trembled.

“Intended not to go back, until he completed restoring the lost technique. He wouldn't go back even the moment he died. But in the end, he contacted Mount Hua.”

“It must have been because he was worried about an sasuk. Because that was your father.”

“… I thought so too.”

However, Yu Iseol just shook her head quietly.

“But I think I know now. He probably wanted to go back to Mount Hua more than he wanted to send me to Mount Hua. Because he had always missed Mount Hua his whole life.”

“… … .”

Yu Iseol's face looked expressionless as usual. However, Chung Myung noticed that the expression of her indifference was a little different from usual.

“I did think about moving his grave. Because it's Mount Hua that he had always wanted to go back to. It was something I couldn't even do when I was young, but now I can do it.”

“….”

“But I decided not to.”

“… why?"

Yu Iseol shook his head slowly.

“Because it doesn’t make any sense.”

“…… .”

A low voice escaped from the lips that had always been stubbornly closed.

“Father has already returned to Mount Hua. If I'm in Mount Hua, my father is in Mount Hua too. And if I complete the sword my father was trying to complete, his wish during his lifetime will also come true.”

Chung Myung's lips were tightly closed.

“Continuing is… … Because that's what it is.”

At her words, Chung Myung looked up at the distant sky.

'Continue... … .'

Is that what you want to say, Chung Jin?

Even if they can't find it, if Chung Myung carries on that will, it would be as if they've already returned to Mount Hua.

'What I have to say... .'

Chung Myung gently closed his eyes.

How many thoughts did Yu Iseol, who doesn't talk much, have to think about before she could say this to Chung Myung?

“… Continue.”

That's not wrong. Chung Jin was the one who thought about the posterity of Mount Hua more than anyone else.

Right. So, Chung Myung just needs to continue that will.

Chung Myung finally got up from his seat.

It’s not that there is no regret. He can't say he has no regrets though. But he couldn’t waste his time here forever. Because he still has a lot of work to do.

“Let’s go back, sasuk.”

Yu Iseol and Chung Myung's eyes met. Chung Myung smiled at Yu Iseol and looked at the distant sky.

'I’ll come back one day.'

When I’m done with all I have to do, I’ll come back and find it.

Chung Myung, after forcibly letting go of the lingering feelings holding into his heart and sobbing, forced himself to move on.

'At that time… … yeah. Let's go back then.'

However, after taking a few steps, Chung Myung suddenly stopped again.

He just stood there motionless, like a stone statue, while keeping murmuring very quietly.

“… Mount Hua?"

- You must have had a greater desire to go back to Mount Hua.

His cold fingertips trembled.

'This b*stard… .'

What do you think you are doing? After all, what were you looking for?

What did you think Chung Jin would do in that circumstance?

“… Chung Jin.”

- 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘐 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘏𝘶𝘢 𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦.

- 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘺 𝘔𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘏𝘶𝘢'𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳.

Yu Iseol's father tried to restore the lost technique. Because he thought it was a way of atonement for running away from Mount Hua.

Then what about Chung Jin?

What was he going to do when he realized that he could never return to Mount Hua again?

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦.

"Ah… .”

Return.

Even if he couldn't return to Mount Hua, he would have tried to return the manuals he brought with anyway.

But how? It was no different from the base of the Demonic Cult, and how could it be done in the middle of Hundred Thousand Mountain Range where enemies were everywhere… .

Chung Myung's eyes whirled around.

'What if I was Chung Jin?'

The body is wounded.

The pursuers have been shaken off to some extent, but there is no way to survive. However, if he died in a place like this, all the manuals would fall into the hands of the Demonic Cult.

Then… … .

'Hide.'

Where the Demonic Cult cannot find.

And… … Where his sahyung can come looking for him one day.

Where his brothers would break through and risk their lives to find him even if they were blocked by the Demonic Cult.

I have sahyung here, so why should I die?

Chung Myung's hand now began to tremble violently.

The one that will never die. The one that should never die.

A person who will never be defeated at the hands of those fearsome Demonic Cultists. A person will survive and come find him someday.

“It was me… … .”

Chung Myung's expression collapsed terribly.

“… … me… ! That was me!”

His gaze turned to the side as if possessed.

Under the blue sky, the mountain ranges lie close to each other. In the middle of countless peaks, there was a peak that strangely stood out.

Unlike the surrounding peaks, it is a rugged mountain made of rocks and cliffs.

Yes… . Just like... .

“… Chung Jin.”

He moved his steps as if he was possessed.

You are there. So you are there.

My sajae.