Episode 329

“Surrender?”

“…. Surrender? At this point?”

The sect leaders and the family heads were all shocked at this. And they looked toward the stage with blank faces.

‘W-what… is this?’

‘Oh my…. Isn’t this like saying that all this doesn’t matter?’

This surrender…

It was unprecedented.

Looking back and thinking, they had never seen a person who had so clearly won surrender.

‘Isn’t it normal to try to make it to the finals even if it means having a leg or arm cut off?’

Then what was this surrender?

Even the sect leaders of the sects who had gone through almost everything to groom their disciples for this couldn’t understand.

“W-what happens now?”

When someone asked, everyone turned to Heo Do Jinin. With the Abbot not here, he was the next person in charge.

Heo Do Jinin looked at the sect leaders and Chung Myung with a bit of a puzzled face and burst into laughter,

“Whatever has to happen will happen. Hae Yeon won.”

“…No, whoever says that….”

“Then what do you want to do? The victor withdrew before the winner was declared.”

‘It won’t be accepted. He actually won.’

Is that what they expected him to say?

“Huh…”

They all exchanged glances.

“Will the spectators be able to accept this?”

“They cannot.”

“Then…”

But no one could say anything because them having that conversation here made no sense.

It was so absurd that even they couldn’t do anything to solve the confusion.

In the end, this was a situation that was clearly visible.

‘… was there such a man?’

‘The authority falls onto Shaolin again.’

It was disgraceful to be the runner-up in their own competition. Of course, the other sects would be silent, but Shaolin was the one who held it. And being the runner-up would hurt their pride.

And would Shaolin give up the authority given to them by the rightful winner, the one who had very clearly won?

This was no different than pouring shit on the face of Shaolin.

Heo Do Jinin couldn’t hide how absurd he found the situation, so he glanced at Chung Myung.

‘Has anyone ever given such disgrace to Shaolin?’

Even if he tried to think back, he couldn’t remember it.

It was so embarrassing that the person who did this to Shaolin wasn’t Wudang or the Demonic Sect but a young disciple of Mount Hua.

“Hahahaha!”

At that moment, a roaring wave of laughter came from the other side.

Heo Do Jinin, who turned, frowned.

‘Tang Gunak?’

Tang Gunak was the head of the Tang family who was smiling brightly, holding his stomach.

Heo Do Jinin’s face contorted a little.

Tang Gunak was known to have a serious expression at all times, but now he was smiling loudly and was about to shed tears of laughter.

“Ah. Ah… I am sorry. Hahaha.”

He wiped his eyes as he sat up straight,

“Shaolin is Shaolin, but seeing the sect leaders who don’t know what to do, makes me laugh.”

“… um.”

“Ahem!”

The sect leaders coughed in unison and avoided his gaze.

The words of Tang Gunak were straightforward.

This was Shaolin’s disgrace, but was this disgrace to Shaolin alone?

It would be no exaggeration to say that the Nine Sects had already accepted Shaolin as their representative due to its reputation, and as proof of that, didn’t they watch this competition from this podium?

Sitting on this platform was no different from saying that they would side with Shaolin.

In the end, the authority of the Five Great Families and of the Nine Great Sects, maintained for a long time, was denied…

By a young disciple of Mount Hua.

Those who understood the meaning behind the words of Tang Gunak stared at Mount Hua in anger and shock. And Tang Gunak just turned away.

He didn’t care about their reaction.

‘It’s started.’

To them, the words of Chung Myung must have sounded like that of a young, impulsive, genius, but he knew. That this was a child with a plan behind his actions.

Didn’t he already realize the insight that Chung Myung had? Behind the nature of him swinging the sword with utmost perfection, he knew there was also an insightfulness no man could keep up with.

“Tch.”

Mount Hua would no longer stay in Shaanxi alone. If Mount Hua decided to take a different path, the world would tremble. And would the other sects be able to handle the turmoil created?

The fact was this thought itself was interesting to Tang Gunak.

‘Of course, even the Tang family will have to start preparing now.’

He glanced at Chung Myung, who was standing in front of his sahyungs.

‘For the new order that Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon will create.’

Eyes were looking back at him.

“…”

Baek Cheon stared at Chung Myung with blank eyes.

“You…”

“Yes?”

“Sigh…”

But after trying to say something, he immediately shook his head, not saying it.

“No…”

“Get out. Now isn’t the time for sasuk to lecture me.”

“Uh?”

Chung Myung pushed Baek Cheon gently away. And he walked to stand in front of Hyun Jong, who was the only member of Mount Hua still sitting.

Plonk.

Standing before him, he scratched his head once and bowed down deeply,

“Sorry for being insolent!”

“…”

He raised his head with a slightly playful smile.

“I will take the punishment. Instead, please do not lock me into the cave for training, I cannot eat those pills.”

Hyun Jong looked at him and said,

“Chung Myung.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“Did you do what your heart wanted?”

Chung Myung didn’t answer right away. He looked up at the sky.

His heart, huh…

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

A soft voice escaped from his mouth, and Hyun Jong nodded with a smile on his face.

“I see. Then that is good.”

And he slowly got up from his spot and patted Chung Myung on the shoulder.

Chung Myung’s eyes which were full of pain turned serious at the touch, and Hyun Jong said,

“I never thought that you were the kind of guy who would do things without thinking.”

“…”

“So there is no need to explain it to me. Didn’t I say it? Your will is the will of Mount Hua.”

“Sect Leader…”

“It was wonderful.”

Hyun Jong turned his gaze.

Still, the sect leaders of other sects were all blankly looking at them, not knowing what to do, and Hae Yeon was still on the stage, too shocked to move.

Hyun Jong turned to Chung Myung and said,

“Chung Myung ah. You clearly showcased the sword of Mount Hua. That is good.”

Chung Myung smiled at this,

“Right. Hehe.”

Seeing that smile put Hyun Jong’s heart at ease.

‘You are a great kid in many ways.’

Regardless of the method, everyone here was concerned with just one thing.

Chung Myung.

Even if he won this, they would cheer for him, and even if he didn’t, he would still have gotten attention from the crowd.

Baek Cheon, who was listening next to them, couldn’t hold back any longer,

“No, still, shouldn’t you do something? Sect Leader!”

He had a seriously angry face.

Yoon Jong, who usually never spoke to Hyun Jong, now raised his voice as he asked,

“This isn’t something you should praise him for!”

“Yes! No, of course, I thought Sago would say something! Is Sago not going to say anything either?”

Jo Gul pointed behind Baek Cheon.

There Yu Yiseol was looking at Chung Myung, but she just shook her head.

However, before Hyun Jong could speak to them, Hyun Young joined in,

“Shut it, you noisy idiots!”

“Elder!”

“If the sect leader accepts it, then we need to accept it too. Where are the people in this sect that don’t know their place and tell the sect leader what he has to do!?”

“Eik!”

“W-we were wrong!”

“We were short-sighted.”

When Hyun Young came out and spoke, the disciples, who were grunting, shuddered and went silent.

And Chung Myung, who was hiding behind Hyun Jong, giggled.

‘I want to kill him!’

‘I just want to make him lose in the right manner for once!’

That damned bastard.

Ignorant idiot.

And…

Baek Cheon, who stared at Chung Myung, smiled.

‘Right. Haha, you were always like this.’

In the first place, winning this competition must not have meant anything to Chung Myung. He was just content with showing that Mount Hua had changed.

“… though it was a bit too strong.”

He glanced at Hae Yeon, who lost.

Genius.

The talent cultivated by Shaolin.

The man who seemed so great now looked humble. But this was normal.

Could there be a greater humiliation than this?

Baek Cheon shook his head and looked at Chung Myung.

“Devil.”

“Why now?”

“…no”

What could even be said?

And Hyun Jong began to walk away,

“Let’s head back.”

“Like this?”

The situation was too messed up, but Hyun Jong just shrugged,

“Normally, there should be awards being given out, but there seems to be a lot they have to resolve here…”

He smiled as he looked around,

“This isn’t a situation we can help.”

“… true.”

“Then shouldn’t we head back? What more can we do here? Let’s just head back.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong stretched out his hand and gently held Chung Myung.

“Eh?”

“Come on, Chung Myung.”

“… Uh?”

And he smiled as he said,

“Walk in front.”

“Eh.”

Chung Myung shook his head,

“The sect leader should be the face of the sect. I will follow right behind.”

“Then let’s walk together.”

“… Uh?”

Hyun Jong tapped his shoulder a couple of times.

“You deserve this.”

Chung Myung was a bit shocked. He had never imagined he would be standing next to the sect leader. He flinched as he tried to step back, but then something touched his back.

“Uh?”

When he turned around, Baek Cheon and the others were preventing him from backing out.

“Stay in front.”

“In front.”

“Don’t back off.”

“…”

These people?

He tried to warn them with his eyes, but they pushed him ahead even harder. Backing down wasn’t easy now.

In the end, Chung Myung stepped forward and sighed. And the elders stood behind him, and the rest were the disciples from Mount Hua.

“Let’s go.”

Hyun Jong took a step.

Following him, the disciples began to walk.

On the left and right, people began to move. In the morning, Mount Hua was greeted with cheers on either side.

But now, everyone looked shocked.

Every disciple of Mount Hua had a smirk on their face. This didn’t seem like such a bad reaction. No, this was rather nice.

After realizing this, they walked more confidently.

“Stop!”

The heads of the disciples of Mount Hua turned at once.

“Cough!”

“Abbot!”

“Do not overexert your body!”

“Let go!”

The Abbot of Shaolin, who was standing level with them, looked at them angrily. It wasn’t that usual look he would hold, and his face looked pale, his robes from the blood he had coughed up.

“You think it is that simple?”

“…”

Hyun Jong simply asked,

“Then what more can we do here, Abbot?”

“How…how…”

The Abbot roared,

“Do you know what you people are doing now? This is not just disregarding Shaolin but the heavens!”

“….”

“The arrogance of Mount Hua has reached the sky! Do you think such arrogant actions will be forgiven?”

Hyun Jong turned to Chung Myung, and he simply said,

“What do we need to be forgiven for?”

“… what?”

His eyes looked at the Abbot.

“It seems like the Abbot misunderstands something, but it isn’t like we did anything for you to care about. It is Shaolin and not us who is being arrogant. Isn’t that kind of saying that we should get permission from Shaolin before even doing such small things?”

“This…”

As the old monk couldn’t speak, Chung Myung smiled as he waved his hands,

“Do take care. Seeing all the blood you coughed up, your health seems to be in poor condition, and I think you should look after yourself first before trying to make a point to others.”

“T-this isn’t done!”

The Abbot coughed once again,

“Abbot!”

“What are you all doing? Move the Abbot to the medicine hall!”

How severe was the trauma that he couldn’t even control his rage?

Chung Myung shook his head.

“I don’t know about him being a warrior, but he is disqualified to be a leader.”

At those words, Baek Cheon softly said,

“… don’t you think that is a bit excessive?”

“Not at all.”

“Really?”

Baek Cheon simply nodded at this, and Hyun Jong smiled.

‘With this, there is no choice but to be at odds with Shaolin now.’

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t concerned, but…

Hyun Jong was proud.

He didn’t want to tell the people who wanted to walk on the right path to act logically.

‘I am the sect leader of Mount Hua.’

The adults should take care of the children and let them walk on the right path. If the sword of reality comes for Mount Hua, the elders will take the first hit.

Until the children grow up to be the upright trees on Mount Hua one day.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, Sect Leader!”

Everyone’s shoulders were straight. Every step they took here was with strength and pride.

Everyone knew…

This was the time to be proud.

The audience couldn’t take their eyes off the people who were walking out without revenge.

And at some point.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

One person started to clap, and many others joined in.

And these claps resounded around the entirety of Shaolin.

It was different from the cheers they had gotten till now.

This was applause with recognition and not simple cheering.

Despite the sound, the disciples didn’t turn back.

They only walked with broad shoulders…

Clenched fists…

And proud faces.

Now everyone in the world would learn.

The Plum Blossom Sect, which commanded Kangho once, had returned.

“Uh, right! I need to get my stakes! Wait, can I just go and get it?”

“…”

“Sect Leader?”

“… ugh, you nasty bastard!”

This is a little…

Weirder than I expected.

The Plum Blossom Sword Sect. Mount Hua…

This was the moment when the prestigious Mount Hua, which continued its history for hundreds of years, declared its return back into the world.