Chapter 897: I Thought You'd Become a Dragon (Part 2)

[fixed]

Thud!

"We've arrived!"

"It's Mount Hua!"

"Oh my, mother!"

Having kicked open the mountain gate of their home and charged inside, Mount Hua's disciples looked at the inner courtyard with eyes full of nostalgia.

They had climbed the rugged Mount Hua in one go, but instead of feeling drained, they felt full of energy.

"Ahh..."

"Mount Hua..."

It was as if they were on the verge of being moved to tears.

Hyun Jong smiled warmly.

'Is this really that good?'

Upon reflection, it wasn't such a strange thing after all. Most of Mount Hua's disciples had never left this place for such an extended period. Having been away for over two years, it was only natural that they would be overjoyed to return.

Hyun Jong's heart felt warm.

In other words, didn't Mount Hua's disciples consider this place as their home? As the Sect Leader, he couldn't help but feel proud...

"Oh, a roof! It's a roof!"

"I'm in tears!"

"Now we don't have to worry about being bitten by bugs while sleeping."

"Sleeping on the grass and waking up with your back all damp. We're saying goodbye to that!"

"Rice! We can eat proper food like humans! Rice!"

"..."

Hyun Jong coughed lightly, covering his mouth with his fist.

'Awkward...'

Now, Mount Hua could be counted among the ranks of the wealthy, but the fact that the disciples could sleep in the chambers with roofs brought them to tears of joy. Even the Beggar's Union wouldn't be like that...

Of course, it was understandable if you knew the whole story.

They had trained deep in the mountains, away from civilization, to avoid foreign eyes. It could be seen as a refreshing and pristine experience, but it also meant they lived like beggars in the wilderness.

From morning to night, they had swung their swords like madmen, scraping up and eating whatever they could find, and collapsing on the dirt floor to sleep. After living that way for so long, it was not unreasonable for them to be moved by a place where they could live more like human beings.

While they had spent some time in the Eunha Guild, even there was not entirely comfortable for the disciples.

"Beds! Let's try lying on beds!"

"Move, I'm first!"

"I wonder what's in the dining hall?"

"There's got to be something. It's been empty for years."

"Still, what if..."

As the disciples lost their senses, the head of Mount Hua's discipline gave a firm stomp.

Thud!

All the disciples turned their heads in unison.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk."

Tongue-clicking, Hyun Young observed the disciples and said.

"No matter how impatient you are, some things need to be done." Then he pointed to the chambers.

"Do you see it?"

"See what?"

Since the disciples didn't understand, Hyun Young kindly explained.

"Do you see all that white dust piled up in the chambers over there?"

"..."

"I'm not expecting anything extraordinary. Ideally, I'd like to finish all the renovation work today, but I'm also human, so I'm not demanding that. However!"

As everyone's faces began to turn pale, Hyun Young chuckled.

"We should start by cleaning the dust that's accumulated while we've been away, right?"

'Devil!'

'Suffocating!'

'No flexibility at all!'

Hyun Young shrugged his shoulders and asked, as if he had heard his disciples protesting in their hearts.

"Any complaints?"

"Oh, no!"

"Certainly not!"

"Absolutely in favor!"

No matter how strong Mount Hua had become, no one had the guts to argue in response to Hyun Young's words.

Hyun Young nodded contentedly and shouted energetically.

"Alright, let's get to work! Finish it quickly!"

"Yes!"

Mount Hua's disciples rushed out like arrows.

"Wow..."

Hong Daekwang, who arrived a bit later, watched the ongoing work within Mount Hua with a blank expression.

If he were to show what was happening here to the higher-ups, what would they say? Perhaps they'd suggest the need for a review of the standard business areas [not sure] for martial clans in the Kangho.

"Quick, move!"

"We're going now! Out of the way!"

"There! We need to sweep there!"

Mount Hua's disciples were cleaning the sect at an incredible pace. They didn't merely sweep; Mount Hua's disciples carried water buckets on their backs, rushed down to the creek below, and literally "washed" the buildings.

Several water buckets flew successively, pouring water as if it were raining from the sky.

"...Impressive."

He had felt this when he had visited the Tang Family earlier, but wasn't it a waste to assign martial artists to escorting or guarding jobs? One of them seemed more efficient than ten skilled laborers for civil engineering work...

Thus, the dusty, white buildings regained their original color in the blink of an eye.

'By the way, what about the Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword?'

For the others, it was understandable, but he didn't expect that person to take cleaning seriously...

"There's still dust left!"

"Ugh!"

Just then, he witnessed Chung Myung mercilessly kicking his Sahyung's butts.

"Ancestral tablets! You see that dust on the ancestral tablets? You're wiping it off haphazardly?"

"No, I did clean it thoroughly..."

"Here! Can't you see the dust here? Over here?"

"....Chung Myung. Maybe I just can't see that."

"If there's even a speck of dust left here today, all Sahyungs will be kicked out! Hurry up and clean it!"

"Okay, okay."

Occupying the ancestral halls, Chung Myung flipped his eyes and roared like a lion.

Then, he also lifted a rag and began zealously wiping the memorial tablets.

"Ho-ho."

Swish. Swish.

"Ho-ho! Ho-ho!"

Swish! Swish!

Baek Cheon shook his head while watching Chung Myung wiping the inscription '13th Generation Sect Leader of the Mount Hua Sect' with eyes flipped.

One could sense the madness in even the hand movements of cleaning the memorial tablets.

'Does that guy have no manners? Or is he just overly mischievous?'

How could he kick away his Sahyungs but treat his ancestors so respectfully, whose faces he had never even seen? Where did things go wrong for such a terrifying person to emerge?

Swish!

"Noooo! There's a crack on the memorial tablet! Sect Leader Sahyungyaaaaaaaa! No, ahhhhhhh! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"...Crazy guy."

Baek Cheon stopped thinking and shook his head. Of course, Hong Daekwang was the same.

Bling bling.

In just an hour, Mount Hua had regained its original look. The tiles stained with dirt and the walls were now shining as if they had been greased.

The bedding hung on the long clotheslines swayed gently in the breeze.

It was truly an incredibly peaceful sight.

"Now, let's..."

Hyun Young looked around with sharp eyes.

The disciples, their faces full of tension, couldn't take their eyes off Hyun Young. Their fate was about to be determined by what came out of his mouth.

"Well, I suppose..."

Hyun Young nodded as if it wasn't entirely satisfying but he could accept this much. Everyone let out a silent cheer.

"Sect Leader."

"Yes."

"Since the kids have suffered all this time, it would be nice to let them have a meal and rest today."

"It's a good idea, but do we have enough food here in Mount Hua? I don't think there's anyone around to prepare food, and all our supplies have been used up."

"On our way up, I made a stop at Hwaeum's inn to order food. All we need to do is go down and pick it up."

"Wow, you've really thought of everything. Haha."

As Hyun Jong was about to nod happily, he noticed Chung Myung sneaking behind Hyun Young.

"Elder, alcohol, alcohol..."

"What... Hey, you! After getting in trouble for drinking you're mentioning alcohol in the sect again?"

As Hyun Jong shouted, Hyun Young frowned.

"This and that are different matters, aren't they? The kid might just be craving some alcohol!"

"Ughhhhhh..."

Hyun Jong was about to say something more when a voice came from behind.

"The alcohol is right here."

The closed mountain gate of Mount Hua slowly opened, and a middle-aged man appeared, holding a white liquor bottle in one hand and dressed in a green robe.

"Oh!"

Hyun Jong's eyes brightened with delight.

"Gaju-nim!"

"Father!" 

Similarly, those who spotted Tang Gunak couldn't contain their joy and shouted loudly. He smiled warmly in response to their welcome.

He walked into the mountain gate with a graceful stride and bowed deeply towards Hyun Jong.

"I greet the Sect Leader."

"Please, don't be so formal, Gaju-nim."

Hyun Jong quickly took his arms and helped him up.

"I'm the sinner who couldn't fulfill my duties as the Sect Leader and burdened you, Gaju-nim. I can't accept such a gesture."

Tang Gunak smiled warmly.

"It seems like you've done more than your share of duties."

"But... how did you arrive so quickly?"

Hyun Jong asked in amazement.

Tang Gunak replied with a composed expression.

"I received the report and rushed here immediately. Hearing the news that Mount Hua had exited Bongmun, I felt a burning urge, and I couldn't hold back."

"You've arrived just in time. Really, you've come at the perfect time."

Both joy and gratitude bloomed in Hyun Jong's eyes.

He was well aware of the hardships Tang Gunak had gone through during Mount Hua's Bongmun. Yet, despite everything, he managed to travel from the distant Yangtze River to this place in just a few days. How could Hyun Jong not be thankful?

"Well, some people receive hospitality, others carry burdens."

At that moment, Im Sobyeong entered the room and joked. 

"Nokrim King?"

"You've arrived?"

Hyun Yong welcomed Im Sobyeong with a bright smile.

"Nice to see you, Elder."

"Has everything went well during my absence?"

"I can't answer if everything went well... I'll have to wait for your ledger to be examined by the Elder. If it's approved, then everything is fine."

"Haha, then naturally, everything was fine."

Hyun Young held Im Sobyeong's trembling hands as they exchanged warm greetings. There was a profound sense of trust in their handshake.

"By the way..."

At that moment, Chung Myung approached Tang Gunak cautiously, his gaze fixed on the liquor bottle Tang Gunak was holding.

"This seems to be incredibly good liquor…"

The color of porcelain and the landscape painted on the bottle were extraordinary. There was no way the alcohol in this bottle was ordinary.

"Of course, it's good liquor."

Tang Gunak smiled faintly and nodded his head.

"I've selected and brought this liquor with care because it's been a while since I met a friend."

"Hmm, that's a nice sound to hear."

At that moment, Chung Myung noticed a slight change in Tang Gunak's expression.

"But..."

"Huh?"

"There's something I should check first."

Stepping back slightly from Hyun Jong, Tang Gunak stood upright before Chung Myung. His body exuded a strong presence befitting the position of the head of the Sichuan Tang Family.

"Hmm."

The faces of the Mount Hua Sect disciples froze in an instant. An oppressive aura, fitting for the leader of the Sichuan Tang Family, weighed down on Chung Myung.

"A friend who's been in hiding for years without any contact..."

"..."

"I believe the taste of alcohol will come alive if we confirm what you've gained during that time. What do you think?"

Tang Gunak's sharp gaze was directed at Chung Myung. His aura, unleashed without constraint, was truly imposing.

Yet, Chung Myung, who received that gaze, responded by grinning.

"Confirmation..."

With a slight curl at the corner of his mouth, Chung Myung looked straight at a friend he hadn't seen in a long time and replied.

"Well, to confirm that, I believe one bottle of liquor isn't enough, is it?"

It was a moment when both Chung Myung and Tang Gunak wore identical smiles on their faces.