Read Novel Full Chapter 1212: It Can’t Get Worse Than This. (2)
Chapter 1212: It Can’t Get Worse Than This. (2)
The appointment ceremony ended simply.
Perhaps it was a little meager for the Sect leader ceremony of Mount Hua, which had now become one of the great sects representing the island.
Normally, a change of the Sect leader of a great sect is a huge event that stirs the entire region.
But neither Mount Hua’s disciples participating in the ceremony nor those watching from a short distance felt particularly disappointed by the small scale of it.
On the contrary, it seemed to them that this might be the most fitting kind of ceremony for a sect like Mount Hua.
Un Am, holding the Purple Cloud sword, looked at it with eyes full of new feelings. To be honest, Un Am was not someone given to grand sentiments about this sword.
Yet the reason he could not handle the sword lightly was the meaning it carried, a meaning he never expected would rest in his hands.
Taking a long breath, Un Am slowly drew the Purple Cloud sword.
Un Am, who had been staring at the blade’s snowy light, stopped his hand just before it was fully drawn and then slowly pushed the sword back into its scabbard.
Thud!
For a moment an impulse rose: the urge to draw it fully and swing it once. Regardless of what the sword symbolized, any sword wielder would feel that urge.
Yet the reason he didn’t draw it to the end was simple.
The sword in his hand had meaning precisely when it remained sheathed.
Nothing had greatly changed.
It was merely that Un Am had inserted himself briefly into the process of passing the Purple Cloud sword from Hyun Jong to Baek Cheon. The outcome would not change.
But that brief “process” leading to the unchanged result might nonetheless alter countless things.
There are countless swords in the world.
Some swords kill on the battlefield, others save lives. Some are wielded for profit, others for oppression.
Whether their use is right or wrong, each of those swords has its own meaning.
Then....
What of a sword made yet never used to cut or threaten, never drawn from its scabbard? Wouldn’t such a sword also have its own meaning?
Un Am smiled faintly.
‘That’s enough for me.’
Anything more would be far too much.
Un Am subtly turned his head to Hyun Jong, as if to say it was time to finish the ceremony. But Hyun Jong merely looked at him with a gentle smile.
Only then did Un Am realize his mistake; he cleared his throat softly and, wearing an oddly serious expression, spoke.
“Those disciples going to the Southern Island, step forward!”
“Yes!”
No sooner had he finished than Mount Hua’s disciples rushed forward and prostrated themselves behind Baek Cheon.
Having glanced over them, Un Am spoke again.
“Acting Sect leader.”
When Un Am turned and called Baek Cheon, Baek Cheon bowed respectfully.
“Yes, Sect leader.”
At the title “Sect leader,” Un Am briefly closed his eyes. Before sentiment could settle in his mind, he opened them and spoke with firm eyes.
“The one to convey Mount Hua’s will to the Southern Island is not me but the Acting Sect leader.”
Baek Cheon met Un Am’s gaze with bright eyes, wordless.
“Even if Mount Hua’s Sect leader cannot go there personally, this sword will prove that the Acting Sect leader’s intent is Mount Hua’s intent.”
Un Am extended the Purple Cloud sword, and Baek Cheon received it with the most respectful salute he could manage.
As Baek Cheon fastened the sword to his side, Un Am spoke again.
“Acting Sect leader.”
“Yes!”
“Lead Mount Hua’s disciples, prove to them that Mount Hua’s agreement stands, and return.”
“Yes!”
Un Am could see it.
Baek Cheon’s voice answering was solemn beyond measure, yet brimming with an unhidden vigor.
‘The kid....’
People inevitably feel desire. Still, watching sajil genuinely rejoice at ascending above the Sect leader welled an odd lump in his throat.
Not only Baek Cheon.
In the eyes of the disciples behind Baek Cheon there was the same consistent joy.
As Un Am bit his lip from the unavoidable emotion, Baek Cheon’s voice rang out.
“Disciple Baek Cheon!”
Un Am’s gaze turned to Baek Cheon.
“By the Sect leader’s command, you will clearly convey Mount Hua’s intent to the Southern Island sect and return!”
Un Am nodded slowly, and Baek Cheon rose. Seeing that devoted posture brought an involuntary smile to Un Am’s lips.
Baek Cheon, with the Purple Cloud sword at his side, walked toward the main gate, followed as if escorted by the Five Swords.
It was a sight he’d seen many times before. Yet what Un Am saw now was the same and not the same.
Hyun Jong’s voice reached Un Am’s ear.
“How was it?”
“......”
“Your heart isn’t exactly at ease, is it?”
At that voice, Un Am let out a short sigh.
“I thought it was a decision made with me in mind... but it seems you intended to give me a hard time.”
“Ha ha. Perhaps I did.”
Indeed, his heart felt heavy.
No matter how many had decided, it is the Sect leader’s prerogative to approve them. To become Sect leader is to bear responsibility for all those decisions.
If even one of those children returned wounded, could Un Am bear that pain?
“Have you always sent the children off with such feelings?”
“Did you not guess?”
“I suspected as much. But I didn’t expect suspicion and reality to differ so much.”
Un Am shook his head.
Now he thought he understood °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° why Hyun Jong had changed his mind at the last moment.
If even those watching found it so hard, how heavy would the burden be on Baek Cheon’s shoulders if he had to bear responsibility for those going to Southern Island?
This was a decision for Un Am and also Hyun Jong’s consideration for Baek Cheon.
“Only until that child returns.”
“For now, that’s sufficient enough for me.”
Un Am nodded.
Just as he sighed and was about to step forward,
“Where are you going?”
“Sorry?”
“Now that you’re the Sect leader you might want to go enjoy that feeling with the children... but sadly, you don’t have time for that.”
“......”
“Besides, Baek Cheon is bound for Southern Island and there is a mountain of unfinished business we never handed over. We’ll begin the transfer immediately, so come to my chambers.”
“...Yes?”
“Ah, what a relief. If that Baek Cheon had become Sect leader, you’d still be burdened with work even as Grand Elder.”
“......”
Un Am looked at Hyun Jong. Hyun Jong truly looked relieved. Seeing his mentor’s unexpectedly playful face for the first time ever left Un Am stunned.
Jo Gul, heading toward the manor’s main gate, chuckled and spoke.
“Oh my, it’s the Acting Sect leeeader.”
At the sound of that voice, a vein stood out on Baek Cheon’s forehead.
“I thought they’d be promoted to High Elder, but being passed over—what will you do now? Oh, my pity from this sajil is boundless! How distressed the Acting Sect leader must be!”
“......”
“But do not worry! This sajil’s loyalty will not waver! Even if the Acting Sect leader takes a longer route, this sajil will faithfully guard his side until my body is in pieces....”
“Jo senseless! Jo Senseless!”
Yoon Jong grabbed Jo Gul by the collar and slapped his mouth repeatedly. After roughing up the screaming Jo Gul a few more times, Yoon Jong snickered and asked Baek Cheon.
“It was a bit sudden. Did you know?”
“No, I didn’t know either. Really.”
A smile spread across Baek Cheon’s lips.
“But this is probably the right direction. It puts my mind at ease a little.”
Yoon Jong harrumphed with a smirk.
“Didn’t you say one gains maturity by shouldering responsibility? You’re a bit too relieved that responsibility was eased, aren’t you?”
“It’s not the same.”
Baek Cheon shook his head.
“Originally, the Sect leader’s position should have rightfully returned to sasuk. I too wanted that, but sasuk was adamant so there was no choice.”
“That is true.”
“Even if sasuk has become Sect leader, my responsibilities do not lessen now. My relief comes not from reduced duty but from losing the burden of having taken a post that was not originally mine.”
Baek Cheon shrugged.
“To tell the truth, me skipping my turn in the distribution of disciples to take the Sect leader’s post....”
“Speak with some sense!”
At that moment, the roar of an old rigid elder sounded in Baek Cheon’s ears.
“What! Huh? In the Great Mount Hua Sect where rules and rites live! Climbing like a thief in reverse!”
“......”
“I won’t see such a sight before dirt enters my eyes! Of course not!”
“Gul.”
“Yes. Sasuk!”
“Go and fetch some dirt....”
“...Has it been decided who will put it in?”
“If we all try together, what worse could happen?”
“Be sensible. Then it’s us who will have dirt in our eyes first.”
“......”
“This is how things should properly be run! This!”
“Phew.”
To the Five Swords it might be just Chung Myung being Chung Myung, but to Chung Myung this was a significant matter.
Wasn’t Chung Myung precisely a living embodiment of a thief who had discarded his life and achievements to devote himself fully to the role of one of Mount Hua’s three foremost disciples?
From his perspective, just the word “distribution of disciples” would have been enough—he had been serving those young ones dutifully as if keeping them on his knee, and he could not stand to see the distribution overturned before his eyes.
“A sect, by its nature!”
“Let’s go, let’s go!”
“If we listen to him we’ll waste another day. Please, let’s go! To Southern Island!”
“Give me some cotton. Plug the ears and go.”
Mount Hua’s disciples shook their heads and left Chung Myung behind as they headed for the main gate.
At the main gate, those who were ready were already waiting for them.
Namgung Do-Wei, Tang Pae, Seol So-Baek, and even Im So-Byeong with his jaw practically protruding.
Baek Cheon stepped forward to greet them on behalf of the group.
“Thank you for waiting.”
“Not at all.”
Namgung Do-Wei received the greeting.
“It is of course what should be done. Congratulations on formally becoming Acting Sect leader, Baek Cheon.”
“Thank you.”
“First, to the Namgung Family....”
“Ah!”
At that moment, Im So-Byeong suddenly shouted.
“Will you keep me up all night? Me? Ah, let’s just depart! Why on the day of departure did you have to change the Sect leader and keep everyone waiting! Making such a grand fuss over something meaningless... Gwaaaaaack!”
Chung Myung, who seemed to take flight, kicked Im So-Byeong squarely in the face with his sole. Then, as Im So-Byeong squealed like a butchered pig, Chung Myung pounced on him like a wolf.
“Meaningless? You rootless Evil Sect brat—what do you take the Great Mount Hua Sect’s succession ceremony for!”
“Aagh! Ack! Aaaaaah!”
“We’re heading south to the Southern Island anyway—let’s clear out one Evil Sect corpse first! Die! Die, you Evil Sect brat!”
“Aaaah! Spare me! Aah!”
Everyone watching Chung Myung beat Im So-Byeong like a trapped rat sighed in unison.
“Shall we depart?”
“...Yes, let’s.”
It seemed this trip to Southern Island wouldn’t be an easy one after all.