Read Novel Full Chapter 1209: Now The Sect Is Finally Getting Back On Track (4)
Chapter 1209: Now The Sect Is Finally Getting Back On Track (4)
“........ Raise your hand properly.”
“Hand!”
Chung Myung’s arm, which had been slowly lowering, snapped back up. Watching Chung Myung frown with an arrogant face, Hyun Jong let out a weary sound.
‘How did I end up with someone like that?’
Honestly, this is ridiculous; the sort of fellow who beat the high priest of the Demonic Cult shouldn’t be struggling to hold up an arm. He could live with his arm raised for months if he wanted, and yet he makes such a fuss about it; it made Hyun Jong more exasperated.
“Chung Myung.”
“......”
“Chung Myung!”
“.......Yes.”
Seeing his pouting lips, Hyun Jong couldn’t contain his boiling anger and thumped his chest.
“What are you so dissatisfied about?”
“......”
“What could you possibly be so upset about that you’d go beating up innocent sasuk! They’re not your sahyung, they’re your sasuk!”
“Well, it’s just.......”
“Aren’t those people about to become elders of the sect? You’re not someone without manners — hitting sasuk like catching street rats in front of others...!”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying! Exactly!”
At that moment Chung Myung’s eyes glittered. But Hyun Jong wasn’t easily swayed.
“Don’t sneak your arm down during talks; put it up again.”
“.......Yes.”
Chung Myung slyly raised the arm he’d lowered. Even so, his mouth didn’t stop.
“But, Sect leader! Honestly, does it make sense that those kids are elders of Mount Hua? They’re barely out of their cradle!”
“......You’re the most naive, you are......”
If those kids still had blood drying on their heads, you must be bleeding from every pore. Chung Myung, I wish you’d realize how old you are......
“A sect has solemn laws and rules to uphold! No matter the circumstances, you can’t have such greenhorns! Ugh! It wasn’t like this in my day!”
Hyun Jong silently grabbed his upper belly.
‘Where’s the stomach medicine?’
Talking with this fellow sometimes made Hyun Jong feel like his late master might kick his grave open and come out.
“Isn’t this a situation, huh?”
But Hyun Jong invoked the patience he’d built through long cultivation and coaxed Chung Myung. It was truly an adult, responsible act; yet Chung Myung retorted with fiery eyes.
“Sect leader! The situation is what it is! This time there’s no choice! If we keep breaking principle for reasons like this, the sect’s laws will become as light as paper! Then norms collapse! Morality collapses! Families collapse! The country falls into disaster!”
“......Is this really a matter that would lead to national disaster?”
“Of course it would! Why wouldn’t it?”
“......”
Chung Myung narrowed his eyes and continued.
“Sect leader!”
“What.......”
“It’s not that I dislike or distrust the sasuk that I’m doing this!”
“Really?”
“Uh... um... honestly... there’s a bit of that side as well, I won’t deny it fully......”
“......It’s good to be honest. Yes, a Taoist must be honest. Our Chung Myung is quite Taoist-like. There were times I thought you had the makings to brighten Mount Hua......”
“Anyway, what kind of sect is Mount Hua!”
“......What kind of sect?”
“Isn’t it the great Taoist sect Mount Hua! The Mount Hua school! A prestigious sect of Shanxi! A Taoist sect proud of its history and tradition!”
Hyun Jong’s hand tightened on his abdomen. Who would have imagined he’d be lectured like a crotchety old man at his age?
“What? That Mount Hua! What kind of sect was it made by thieves! This isn’t some pedigree book! How can people barely thirty become the Sect leader? And skipping the allotment!”
“He’s the Acting Sect leader...... Acting Sect leader. Not the Sect leader........”
“Isn’t that the same thing! My word, in all my days......! If Mount Hua’s ancestors in the heavenly realms heard this, they’d kick their coffins open and rush down thinking Mount Hua is being ruined not by Heavenly Demons but by these hands!”
“......You were fine when you joined, it wasn’t this bad.”
“Yes?”
“Ah, never mind. Ahem.”
Hyun Jong gave an awkward cough and sighed before asking.
“So what exactly do you want to do then?”
“You must stop this nonsensical behavior at once! This is not acceptable......”
Hyun Jong looked at Chung Myung with a helpless expression and asked.
“So even if I ask you, will you stubbornly oppose and lie down in protest?”
“Wha......!”
Chung Myung hesitated briefly and rolled his eyes. He wasn’t avoiding eye contact out of embarrassment; countless things started warring fiercely in his head.
“I would... no, but still... no, if the Sect leader says... no, but? Eh?”
“......”
“I... if you say so, I... I’ll follow. Uh... yes. I should follow. I will follow, but......”
As reason and instinct clashed fiercely, pale steam seemed to puff from both of Chung Myung’s ears. Hyun Jong said in a voice mixed with a sigh.
“......You’ll burst like that. Chung Myung.”
“Guh... if you order me, I’ll follow.”
“......Thank you.”
Hyun Jong let out a wry laugh.
He always felt it: this fellow’s mindset was odd. A mongrel who’d bite at Beop Jeong or Jang Ilso at any opportunity; how could he so steadfastly obey the Sect leader’s name? Hyun Jong even suspected it might be a kind /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ of obsession.
At that moment Chung Myung pouted in displeasure.
“I’ll follow, but know that it’s not because I like to!”
“......What else can you do.”
Still not soothed, Chung Myung began grumbling softly.
“Even as Sect leader you should uphold the sect’s rites. If you personally overturn the genealogy, does that make sense......”
“I heard all of that.”
“Ahem.”
Chung Myung averted his gaze. Hyun Jong let out a deep sigh.
Of course he knew that. Despite his words, Chung Myung would support Baek Cheon better than anyone. It was precisely because he trusted Chung Myung that he appointed the young Baek Cheon as Acting Sect leader and resolved to hand over the Sect leader’s seat soon.
With Chung Myung around, Baek Cheon wouldn’t act recklessly, and even if he made a mistake it could be undone.
But the fact Chung Myung’s dissatisfaction was so plain was a problem. Perhaps it was overcaution, but since they were about to depart for the Southern Island, Hyun Jong wanted to settle this as much as possible beforehand.
“Chung Myung.”
Chung Myung pretended not to hear. Hyun Jong called him gently once more.
“Chung Myung.”
“......Yes.”
Seeing that, Hyun Jong couldn’t help but smile.
This boy would probably look like this a hundred years from now. That thought secretly reassured him. If the boy doesn’t change, Mount Hua won’t change either.
“I understand how you feel.”
“......”
“And I know you’re not wrong. But Chung Myung, I have to repeat that it’s a matter of circumstances.”
“There’s an order to all things. And sometimes you must let things flow. We follow in the normal Way. So we must follow what is natural......”
“No, I know that.”
At that moment Chung Myung snapped.
“Every time I hear that, I can’t understand it at all.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“They say a Taoist should follow nature itself and not be swayed by artifices.”
“Right. That’s what nature is.”
“But aren’t people part of nature?”
“......Huh?”
“I’m saying — aren’t people nature?”
At that, Hyun Jong blinked. Caught off guard, he was silent for a while before speaking again.
“People are part of nature too... yes. People are part of nature.”
“Then it’s strange.”
“What do you mean?”
“They say following the Way is following nature itself. But people are part of nature, so couldn’t following people’s hearts also be the Way?”
“They say to attain the Way you must exclude artifice, which means following nature without people’s feeling. We’re humans — what meaning is there in becoming like the nature without people’s make up?”
Hyun Jong thought deeply and said.
“So, what you’re saying is... people are part of nature.”
“Yes.”
“Following nature is the Way.”
“Yes!”
“Therefore... following the stirrings of people’s hearts is also the Way.”
“Yes, Sect leader!”
“So... you’re saying you’ll just do whatever you want. Is that it?”
“......”
“What kind of sophistry is that, you brat! Then wouldn’t anything people do be the Way!”
“......Ah, you’re onto me.”
“Hey, you......!”
“Oh no! I totally forgot my training!”
When Hyun Jong scolded him, Chung Myung darted out the door like an arrow.
“Don’t just stand there! I’m not finished talking yet, you brat!”
“I’m not fully ready to depart yet! This disciple will prepare meticulously to carry out the entrusted mission perfectly!”
“You brat!”
Chung Myung, who’d vanished out the wide-open door, poked his head back in halfway and chuckled: “Hehe.”
“Ah, don’t worry. After all, he’s the Acting Sect leader — we’ll treat him properly!”
“......”
“Alright then!”
Chung Myung suddenly disappeared. Hyun Jong clicked his tongue without thinking.
Worry. I’m worried.
He let out a deep sigh and then suddenly laughed aloud to himself.
“What nonsense.......”
Following people’s hearts as the Way....... people are.......
Hyun Jong’s gaze rose to the ceiling. For a long while he stared silently at it.
The sun sank, dusk settled in, the twilight darkened, until finally it was nearly time for the party bound for the Southern Island to depart.
“Are you all ready?”
“What’s there to prepare? It’s the same as always.”
In response to Baek Cheon’s question, Yoon Jong shrugged and said.
“We go far so often that I can pack with my eyes closed now.”
“That’s right.”
“......And I, I packed Sago’s baggage, remember.”
“......”
“Sago? Where are you looking? Sago?”
Baek Cheon snorted a laugh and said.
Well, of course. That was a pointless question. But... where did that fellow go?“
“Preparations are finished.”
“Finished?”
“He hasn’t fully recovered from being hit by Chung Myung today, so we laid him down for now.”
“On a bed?”
“No. On the floor.”
...Yoon Jong... that’s not ‘laid down,’ that’s ‘left there.’ I sometimes don’t understand you. I think I know you well and then realize I don’t......
Then Yoon Jong calmly asked back.
“Rather than worrying about us, is the sasuk ready?”
“Huh?”
“Didn’t the Sect leader say he’d hold a brief, formal ceremony to appoint the Acting Sect Leader before departure?”
“Mm, he did.”
A tension he’d momentarily forgotten passed over Baek Cheon’s face.
Even Baek Cheon, who wouldn’t be intimidated by a formidable foe, felt nervous about formally taking the Acting Sect Leader position before everyone.
“There’s nothing special to prepare. If anything’s needed, it’s only resolve to do things right.”
“So I’m asking — have you steeled yourself?”
At that, Baek Cheon gave a faint smile.
“Of course.”
At the firm answer, Yoon Jong grinned and nodded.
“Then let’s go. Everyone’s waiting.”
Baek Cheon nodded gravely and stepped forward. Opening the door, they saw the training ground filled with Mount Hua disciples. All eyes were on Baek Cheon.
“Huh.”
Feeling that gaze wash over him, Baek Cheon exhaled briefly.
He felt a little excited, and also an immense weight. Feeling all of it, he stepped forward toward Hyun Jong and the elders waiting ahead.