Read Novel Full Chapter 1211: It Can’t Get Worse Than This. (1)
Chapter 1211: It Can’t Get Worse Than This. (1)
At the edge of the road leading to the training ground, Namgung Do-Wei, who had been watching the situation inside the hall, turned his vacant face toward Tang Pae.
“......What on earth is going on here?”
“Well... doesn’t it seem like Taoist Un Am’s, not Baek Cheon’s, is being said to become the Sect leader?”
“Taoist Un Am’s?”
Namgung Do-Wei blinked.
‘So it’s the person named Taoist Un Am who......’
His gaze shifted to Un Am, trembling at Baek Cheon’s side.
‘It was him.’
For Namgung Do-Wei, it was inevitably a somewhat bewildering situation.
It was because, whether or not Mount Hua’s disciples felt the same, Un Am had no particular presence to Namgung Do-Wei. In fact, not only Un Am but the entire Un disciples of Mount Hua lacked a strong presence.
‘Is this okay?’
Of course, by common sense, when the Hyun disciples step down, it would be natural for the Un disciples to take the Sect leader’s position.
But what kind of position is the Sect leader of Mount Hua? Its burden is hard for an ordinary person to bear, and in practice it even carries the duties of the head of the Heavenly Friends Alliance.
In that context, hearing that Un Am would assume the Sect leader position produced an initial sense of bewilderment.
“......I don’t know.”
Tang Pae muttered as if feeling the same. His gaze toward Un Am’s back was subtle.
It was hard to deny that both Namgung Do-Wei, about to become head of the Namgung house, and Tang Pae, about to become lord of the Tang family, would find Baek Cheon far easier to communicate with than Un Am. For that reason, they couldn’t help but regard him cautiously for now.
“Indeed...... he is the Sect leader.”
Only Tang Gunak, who had silently watched the situation until now, nodded vigorously as if he could understand this choice.
“It was unexpected...but truly the right choice.”
At those words Tang Pae cautiously asked.
“Patriarch... Do you think it’s good for that man to take the Sect leader position at Mount Hua?”
“It’s not a matter of good or bad.”
Tang Gunak said with a smile.
“Of course it’s also crucial who can ascend to the Sect leader’s position and lead the sect better.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Tang Pae nodded. For that reason he had thought Baek Cheon should be Sect leader. He didn’t know Un Am well, but considering external reputation and relations with other schools, there was no talent in Mount Hua like Baek Cheon now.
“However...... the Sect leader’s position cannot be decided by that alone. What one has done for the sect up until now is equally important.”
“......”
“If you choose a Sect leader solely for talent and reputation, who will devote themselves to the sect and who will strive for it? A Sect leader should make room for those who shine in the light, but at the same time must not ignore those who have quietly toiled in the shadows.”
Tang Pae nodded at that. Tang Gunak felt inwardly impressed.
“Even I had forgotten that fact... but the Sect leader did not overlook it. It is such an obvious choice for Mount Hua to remain as Mount Hua...”
Tang Gunak’s gaze turned to one side. At the end of that gaze Chung Myung was grinning slyly.
To an outsider it might look like sajil, a foolish brat happy that Baek Cheon was being pushed down a step...
‘Before the Sect leader, the one who didn’t miss this fact would be Mount Hua’s Sword Saint.’
Mount Hua’s Sword Saint had consistently opposed Baek Cheon rising to the Acting Sect leader’s position.
But now, even though Baek Cheon would sit in the Acting Sect leader’s seat, they were instead pleased.
Ritual and protocol are to be observed. The reason to keep them is that they contain essentials necessary to define a sect’s identity.
These are things the sect’s predecessors agonized over for a long time before asking future generations to preserve. How could one dismiss them as mere stale old sayings?
Whether by head or instinct, Mount Hua’s Sword Saint knew this fact. So......
“Kkil kkilk kil...”
“......”
“Uhehehehe. Serves him right!”
“......Isn’t it?”
“What?”
“Ahem.”
Tang Gunak shook his head, brushing off Chung Myung’s small but clear voice. His ears were annoyingly sharp and picked up things like that didn’t feel right.
“But will it be alright? That man is......”
“There’s no reason he wouldn’t be fine. The newly appointed Acting Sect leader will exercise the Sect leader’s authority, and the new Sect leader will focus on internal affairs. Isn’t that not much different from Taoist Baek Cheon alone taking the Acting Sect leader post?”
“Ah......”
Tang Gunak looked at Hyun Jong with a smiling face.
“It means that the external affairs Taoist Baek Cheon was to handle will still ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) be handled by them, and the internal governance Mount Hua’s Sect leader handled will be entrusted to the new Sect leader. For us there’s not much difference. And yet he preserved both justification and ritual. By stepping down a bit earlier from the Sect leader’s position himself.”
At those words everyone looked at Hyun Jong with newfound interest.
What seemed like a trivial choice sounded very rational when explained. More impressive was that he brought about the result by choosing to step aside himself first.
“......I sense a kind of vital spirit.”
“It seems to be because he’s a Taoist master. We could never have imagined this.”
Tang Gunak nodded.
“That’s why Mount Hua is both a sword sect and a Taoist sect.”
The three turned their gaze to Un Am and Baek Cheon — the two who would lead Mount Hua’s new era.
“Sect leader...... I......”
Un Am, without meaning to, opened his mouth toward Hyun Jong. He knew it was not a place to speak out, but he couldn’t keep silent.
But Hyun Jong did not scold him; instead he received his words in a warm voice.
“Why? Are you lacking confidence?”
“......That’s not what’s at issue. I’ve already stated my intention......”
“Yes. You certainly did.”
Hyun Jong looked at Un Am with compassionate eyes.
“But Un Am. My heart does not see it that way.”
“Sect leader. I am far too lacking to become Mount Hua’s Sect leader.”
“Is that so?”
Hyun Jong turned his head and gave his gaze to Baek Cheon beside him.
“Baek Cheon, what do you think? Do you also think Un Am is insufficient to be Mount Hua’s Sect leader?”
“How could that be, Sect leader.”
A reply came back without a moment’s hesitation.
“Sasuk would be more fitting as Mount Hua’s Sect leader than anyone. I cannot even compare myself to him. Had sasuk not steadfastly refused, and had the situation not been urgent, I too would have naturally asked sasuk to take the Sect leader’s position.”
“I see.”
“Sect leader......”
Hyun Jong smiled at Un Am, who didn’t know what to do.
“Un Am.”
When Un Am lifted his head with a puzzled expression, Hyun Jong spoke. His expression and voice were suffused with sincerity.
“The moment when I am no longer lacking will never come.”
“......”
“What matters is not whether you are lacking, but whether you have the resolve to shoulder the responsibility despite the lack. Didn’t Baek Cheon show that to us?”
“......Sect leader.”
“I was the same. I felt endlessly insufficient and lacking all the time. Becoming Sect leader terrified me.”
Un Am bit his lip. His master’s words sounded vividly in his ears.
“But I know. You are qualified for that post.”
“......”
“You said it. This is not the era for protectors; now is the time for those who step forward to take the sect’s duties.”
“......Yes.”
“Perhaps that is true. Perhaps it is the more rational choice. But Un Am, my heart does not say so.”
Rationality is about discarding what must be discarded and choosing what to choose.
But often many values are buried within that rationality of things. Hyun Jong did not want that to happen now. He knew better than anyone how those buried in rationality viewed the world.
“If following the heart is principle, and honestly facing that heart is Tao for me, then I am carrying out principle now more than anyone and following moral duty more than anyone. Even if that choice might be somewhat unfitting for Mount Hua’s Sect leader......”
Hyun Jong cast a glance at Chung Myung and lightly shrugged his shoulders.
“So what? I have spent my life as Mount Hua’s Sect leader suppressing myself and my wishes. So shouldn’t I have the right to make at least this final choice as I wish? Our predecessors could not reproach me for it.”
“S-Sect leader!”
“Truly, I have much to say to the predecessors, but would they really have much to say to me?”
Hyun Jong laughed playfully.
Un Am felt both unfamiliarity and familiarity in that sight. This was an aspect of Hyun Jong he had never seen, and perhaps one he could have seen.
“So do that. If you ascend to the Sect leader’s position, my heart will be at ease.”
Un Am bowed his head deeply in silence. A long silence followed.
Hyun Jong did not prod him; he simply waited.
Mount Hua’s disciples too waited for Un Am’s answer without the slightest falter for quite some time.
Only after a long while did Un Am slowly lift his head.
“Your disciple dares to ask the Sect leader.”
“Do so.”
“Does your disciple have the ability to shoulder the position of Mount Hua’s Sect leader?”
“He does.”
“Then is it truly right for your disciple to take Mount Hua’s Sect leader position?”
“It could not be more right.”
“Then is your disciple taking the Sect leader seat for the sake of Mount Hua?”
Hyun Jong smiled gently and answered.
“That is not for me to answer.”
Hyun Jong turned his gaze to the disciples.
“I ask you!”
Mount Hua’s disciples slightly lowered their stance. As if they had prepared their answer even before the question; as if to deliver that heartfelt reply with the loudest voices in the world.
“Is my disciple Un Am taking Mount Hua’s Sect leader’s position for good for Mount Hua!”
“It is so, Sect leader!”
No sooner had the question ended than gigantic voices erupted as if to pierce the sky.
Un Am’s shoulders trembled uncontrollably.
“So I ask.”
Hyun Jong’s gaze reached Un Am again.
“Will my disciple Un Am, as Sect leader of the Great Mount Hua sect, protect Mount Hua’s spirit and risk his life to lead the disciples in the future?”
Un Am bowed his head. With his head nearly touching the ground, a moist voice escaped his lips.
“Your disciple... your disciple Un Am...”
And finally, he lifted his head.
“I dare... I dare myself to bear that grave responsibility.”
Hyun Jong nodded and in one motion drew the Purple Cloud sword from his waist.
“Then I, Hyun Jong, as Sect leader of the Great Mount Hua Sect, appoint the foremost disciple of Mount Hua, Un Am, as the new Sect leader and proclaim this fact to the world.”
Hyun Jong, having raised the Purple Cloud sword above his head, sheathed it again and handed it to Un Am with both hands. Un Am raised his trembling hands and received the sword with utmost reverence.
“Your disciple! I, Un Am will devote my life to fulfilling the office of Mount Hua’s Sect leader!”
At the same time, an enormous roar erupted.
Though they had hoped Baek Cheon would take the Sect leader seat, many Mount Hua disciples had long harbored sympathy for the Un disciples; now they could rejoice freely.
Amid the clamor, Chung Myung let out a snort-laugh.
“......What a shambles.”
There is no ceremony, no decorum.
The succession ceremony he knew was never like this. There was no rite to the heavenly gods, no prayers to the predecessors, not even proper procedures or solemn vows.
Yet... he did not feel inclined to pick at that.
Despite so many shortcomings, the Sect leader succession ceremony he was witnessing pleased him far more than any he had seen before.
‘Isn’t that right, sahyung?’
Looking up at the sky, it seemed as if he could see Chung Mun smiling brightly.