Episode 323

The sun shone outside the window.

After waking up early in the morning and meditating in his bed, Chung Myung revived only after feeling the sunlight fall on his face.

‘Today is the day.’

Looking out the window, he stretched out his hands and then picked up the sword next to his bed.

Srng.

He pulled his sword out slowly and flicked the blade with his finger.

A clear sound rang out, and while smiling, he got up.

“Well then, should we go now?”

Today would be a fun day.

Very fun.

Chung Myung washed his face. Normally he wouldn’t care about such things, but today he wanted to be more perfect than usual.

He didn’t really think that he had to prepare himself or something, rather he just felt like doing so.

After everything was done, he went down the stairs.

Clop. Clop.

On the first floor, all the disciples of Mount Hua had finished their preparations and were waiting for him.

Chung Myung shrugged at the attention everyone gave him,

“You are down early.”

Hyun Young smiled at his words.

‘He must be nervous.’

Just because one has skills doesn’t mean one doesn’t get nervous. On the contrary, people who were strong and skilled were more nervous than normal people because they felt that they needed to accomplish something.

But the face of Chung Myung felt different from usual.

“Looks like you slept well.”

“Yes. I slept too well.”

Hyun Young smiled and nodded his head.

‘This guy.’

Looking at his usual unperturbed face, it felt like his own nervousness went down a little. Perhaps the disciples felt similarly, as the atmosphere soon returned to normal.

And Hyun Jong spoke,

“Chung Myung.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“You may not like this, but I don’t want you to only aim for winning.”

Chung Myung waited for his words to continue,

“If you can prove to those gathered here that Mount Hua can no longer be looked down on, that is good enough for me.”

Chung Myung smiled brightly,

“If you say so, Sect Leader.”

It was such a calm answer, and Hyun Jong looked at him with a smile.

‘So odd.’

So many thoughts ran through his mind.

The guy who made a mess when anyone lost. But now he felt like the most reliable disciple of all,

“Then, we…”

Hyun Jong looked at everyone. Chung Myung had entered the finals.

But Chung Myung alone didn’t make this happen. If the other disciples of Mount Hua weren’t active as they were, then even Chung Myung making it to the finals would have given out a different message…

And thanks to their good results, Chung Myung alone didn’t have to bear this burden in the finals.

Now no one would ignore Mount Hua.

‘Mount Hua has become stronger.’

Hyun Jong, who closed his eyes slightly and calmed his mind, turned to the front door,

“Everyone, walk proudly!”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“The people are waiting for us. They will try to remember every single gesture of yours and even your eyes. So let us go and show them.”

Not even the sound of breathing could be heard.

Everyone was looking at Hyun Jong with strength in their eyes, and seeing that made Hyun Jong smile.

‘Results aren’t all that important.’

Three years ago, he wouldn’t have expected these kids to have such a look on their faces.

But not anymore. The biggest achievement Mount Hua gained in this competition was confidence, not fame.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

With Hyun Jong leading them, the disciples of Mount Hua stepped out proudly.

“Ah! Don’t push!”

“Show me one person who isn’t getting pushed here? Do not be too antsy and wait!”

“Oh, my God. It is my first time seeing so many people gathered here!”

Shaolin was exploding with people.

It was crowded all through the competition, but today was the finals, so it seemed like there were more than usual.

And as if that wasn’t enough, the procession of people flocking to Shaolin didn’t stop.

“As expected, wouldn’t Hae Yeon of Shaolin win this? I cannot forget that technique he showed yesterday. It was so strong!”

One man frowned upon hearing that.

“What nonsense! Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon won yesterday with just one hit. And didn’t Hae Yeon get wounded by the hands of a Mount Hua disciple? Considering the level of those who walked to the finals, Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon seems to be at a level higher than Hae Yeon!”

“How can you compare the skills of people in that way? You cannot know until you see them in person!”

“This, damn it! Do you have eyes for decoration or something?”

“What, this bastard?”

At first, they were being polite, and then their emotions took over as they began to grab the collar of the other.

But the people around them didn’t even bother with them. Everyone was too focused on the finals, which would start soon.

Besides, similar things were happening all around, so this wasn’t very special to them.

The atmosphere in Shaolin was overheated with all this.

Criticism and predictions kept coming in like storms from here and there. Everyone was enjoying the finals arguing with their own logic.

The sun was finally in the middle of the sky, and the people were either betting on who would win or buying food, or discussing who the winner would be.

The time for the finals had come.

The noise, which was louder, began to turn quiet.

And…

“It is Shaolin!”

“Shaolin is coming!”

“Woahhhh!”

The eyes of the people focused on one place. In the distance between the pavilions were men in yellow robes walking.

They felt a heavy force from Shaolin.

“As expected of Shaolin!”

“Well, Shaolin will win!”

“The Abbot himself is leading them!”

Amidst the cheering, the footsteps of Shaolin moved forward.

For many years, Shaolin was known as the best of the sects. Could they have stood there without challengers or ups or downs?

But Shaolin had overcome all the challenges thrown at them. That was why everyone in the world respected Shaolin.

Those who spoke of Shaolin always had trust in it.

Although the challenger from Mount Hua was strong, they believed Shaolin would win today. And Shaolin would once again prove that they were the best in the world.

Those trusting eyes turned to Hae Yeon, who was walking.

But soon, those cheers were overshadowed.

“Mount Hua!”

“Mount Hua is coming! Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon!”

“Mount Hua! The best sect!”

Cheers grew louder and louder overtaking the ones for Shaolin.

This was normal.

Most people didn’t like a fixed system. They always want some kind of change.

Even if that change wasn’t achieved in the end, they wanted to see and support a new wave.

Now here, Mount Hua was one such symbol for them.

Shaolin. The Nine Great Sect One Union, and the Five Great Families.

They symbolized strength and the old system which ran for hundreds of years, and Mount Hua was the new challenger rocking the boat.

All those who felt like the nine sects system wasn’t nice cheered for Mount Hua.

In a place like Kangho with warriors, the sects in Nine Great Sects and Five Great families only represented a handful, and those who did not belong to either cheered for Mount Hua!

“Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon! Defeat Shaolin!”

“Rub their noses in the ground!”

“Sweep them down!”

Shaolin and Mount Hua were walking slowly to the left and right of the stage, which was in the center. Shouts were being poured on them from all sides.

As Yoon Jong moved with them, he gulped, seeing this. As his steps slowed down, Jo Gul asked him, a bit puzzled,

“What is it, sahyung?”

“No. It is nothing….”

Yoon Jong put on an awkward smile,

“Isn’t it strange that so many are cheering for Mount Hua?”

“…”

Jo Gul was silent.

Was it weird?

Right, it was weird,

Just a few years ago, Mount Hua was a place that was almost completely removed from the memories of the people. Even Yoon Jong and Jo Gul, who entered the sect and learned the sword, had no hope that its name could be restored.

For them, it was a sect that they found on the beaten path and had simply decided to stick with it.

But now, Mount Hua was a sect that the world paid attention to.

These cheers seemed like a lie.

‘This is the start.’

Jo Gul remembered the first time Chung Myung entered Mount Hua.

The scruffy little kid. And Jo Gul thought he could break that kid with a single hit,

Jo Gull lifted his head and looked at Chung Myung, who was in front of him.

He had not so wide shoulders.

But he was the one shouldering Mount Hua now.

Who would have imagined that such a day would come?

When he decided to follow Chung Myung’s lead, he never thought he could get this far.

“Sahyung.”

“Um?”

“… nothing.”

“Look at you.”

Yoon Jong smiled.

Even if he didn’t spell it out, he knew what Jo Gul wanted to say. But it wasn’t something that could be easily put into words.

Yoon Jong, too, had a lot of passion in his chest, making it hard to speak.

“Sahyung. How far will that guy go?”

“… well.”

Yoon Jong looked at Chung Myung.

How far… they couldn’t know.

But one thing was certain.

“No matter where Chung Myung goes, no matter what path he takes, we will be there by his side.”

At Yoon Jong’s words, Jo Gul nodded his head.

Right.

Not just them but the entirety of Mount Hua would be with Chung Myung.

Soon, Chung Myung, who reached the foot of the stage, looked up. Baek Cheon was next to him and said,

“Chung Myung”

“Um?”

“I don’t think this is something to say in this situation, but…”

“Hmm…”

Baek Cheon smiled,

“From the day I got beaten by you until now, I never thought there could be someone out there who could surpass you.”

“… what?”

“So…”

Baek Cheon nodded his head as he sighed and said,

“Prove to me that I am not wrong.”

Chung Myung was about to say something back, but Yu Yiseol approached him from behind and reached for his head.

“Uh?”

Tak Tak!

She lightly tapped on Chung Myung’s head and nodded,

“Win.”

“…”

Yoon Jong and Jo Gul also rubbed Chung Myung on the shoulder.

“You can do it, Chung Myung.”

“It makes no sense for you to lose!”

Tang Soso, Baek Sang, and the disciples all tapped on him lightly.

“Go and win”

“We believe in you.”

“We cannot imagine you losing. Go and win!”

At all those actions, Chung Myung laughed like this was ridiculous,

“No, these idiots…”

But he didn’t do much, he looked into their eyes which made him go silent.

Eyes full of trust.

A trust which could never waver.

Was he ever looked at like this?

“…”

Of course, Mount Hua in the past trusted him. No one doubted his skills.

But these eyes felt so different from back then. Trust beyond skills. It was a gaze full of respect for the one who led them.

“… seriously.”

Chung Myung shook his head,

“Well, you are being nervous for nothing.”

And he turned his body and looked at the stage.

“Wait here for me.”

The eyes of the disciples were fixed on him, but he didn’t look at them.

“When I return, Mount Hua will be called the best.”

However, after making that confident declaration, he walked up the stage.

‘It feels a bit strange.’

He kept trying to turn his head back, but his gaze wanted to stay forward.

Now wasn’t the time to look back.

‘My sahyung.’

There were times like this.

When one walked alone.

At that time, no one in Mount Hua would stand by his side. Just by standing behind and looking at the back of the person who led us, we get immense strength.

And now, the disciples of Mount Hua were looking at Chung Myung in that manner.

The role his sahyung played in the past was now being played by Chung Myung.

It was burdensome.

So it felt weird.

Even when fighting against the Demonic Sect with the expectations of the world, he didn’t feel such heaviness on him.

Of course, the enemy was strong, and his abilities were limited. However, the burden he felt at that time and now felt so different.

To be trusted by someone.

He never imagined that such a heavy burden could be put on people.

But…

‘It isn’t all that.’

Push forward.

Those trust-filled eyes were pushing the back of Chung Myung.

So he had to repay them.

Chung Myung stopped and looked forward. Hae Yeon was also walking up the stage.

He smiled,

“Did you wash yourself nicely, bald head?”

It was time to turn the world upside down.