Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1448. What Should I Do? (3)
Editor: Hoamzz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
Tang Gun-ak, standing face-to-face with Hyun Jong, bowed his head deeply.
"Despite the unfavorable situation, thank you for your patience and for waiting. I express gratitude on behalf of the Sichuan Tang Family."
Hyun Jong received the bow and shook his head.
"Of course. It was only natural."
It would be a lie if he said he wasn't anxious, because Sichuan was no longer a land where they could feel at ease.
But Hyun Jong waited silently.
Others might not understand, but Hyun Jong did. Just how important what was happening within Tang Family right now was. As the sect leader of Mount Hua who had experienced similar trials time and again, he recognized the significance.
"Gaju-nim. Have you managed to sort things out somewhat?"
Tang Gun-ak looked at Hyun Jong with eyes as deep as a lake at the question. For a moment, Hyun Jong unconsciously slightly clenched his hand.
It wasn't hard to recognize when a martial artist grew in skill. However, it was usually difficult to notice when a person's inner self grows.
But Hyun Jong could tell. That what he was witnessing with his own eyes was that rare sight. It had only been half a day, yet the head of the Sichuan Tang Family, the Poison King Tang Gun-ak, had definitely achieved something.
Tang Gun-ak glanced back slightly.
"I wanted to, but..."
He could see his family members looking at him with firm eyes.
"We've merely taken the first step. Shedding layer upon layer of accumulated weight won't be so easy."
"That's right. It will be so."
Hyun Jong nodded in understanding.
Mount Hua had possessed nothing. Thus, there had been nothing to protect. That was certainly a sad thing, but conversely, it certainly helped Mount Hua to shake off its past and move forward anew.
But Tang Family was different. Even after losing the Poison Vault and their smithies, they remained the Sichuan Tang Family. It can't be as easy as it sounds to break down and rebuild the order of the family that surrounds them like a solid fortress.
Nevertheless, Tang Gun-ak nodded with a face full of conviction as he looked at Hyun Jong.
“But since we’ve started, that alone is enough.”
A soft exhale escaped Hyun Jong's mouth. Just then, a voice interrupted.
"Can we go now then?"
Tang Gun-ak and Hyun Jong's gaze turned towards the source. Chung Myung was pointing his chin toward the sky with a sulky expression.
“Looks like it’s turning to night again… Shall we go camping again?”
“We can’t have that.”
Tang Gun-ak smiled faintly and shook his head.
"Imposing further would go against Tang Family's ways."
"It seems you've already caused plenty."
"Shut your trap!"
“Seriously, that snout of yours!”
“What, shit! Did I say something wrong?”
Even while being dragged away by Five Swords's hand that quickly grabbed him from behind, Chung Myung continued to shout. Hyun Jong let out a groan and apologized to Tang Gun-ak.
"My apologies."
“No need. He’s not wrong.”
Tang Gun-ak chuckled and looked south. A faint longing flashed in his eyes for a moment, but he left that lingering feeling behind in the southern land and turned his head north.
"Let's depart."
"Yes."
Tang Gun-ak took a step, leading his family members.
Leaving the past behind, toward where they must now live.
"…You intend to fully settle in Shaanxi?"
Baek Cheon's face was filled with bewilderment. Watching him in astonishment, Tang Gun-ak asked.
Filling his eyes was nothing but astonishment.
"Had we not already agreed to this?"
"Y- Yes, but..."
"I know. Though the meaning is a little different."
"...Yes. That's what I meant."
Baek Cheon flinched slightly, worried he might’ve said something wrong. Tang Gun-ak snickered at the sight of him.
"I've merely made the decision that needed to be made."
Tang Gun-ak looked back at those following him.
Over five hundred people were coming along. Considering others related to Tang Family who might join them later, the total could easily reach nearly a thousand.
"Of course, I too wish to return to Sichuan. Even now, my blood boils when I think of Sichuan land where I was born and raised being trampled under Paegun's feet."
“...I understand.”
If Shaanxi, and Huayin County, were to fall into Evil Tyrant Alliance's hands? Without mentioning that ill-tempered Sajil bastard, even Baek Cheon would immediately turn his eyes upside down.
Losing one's roots wasn't just about losing land. It was losing every memory tied to that land.
"But right now, this might actually be better. I can’t just cling to a piece of land while trying to rebuild the family foundation. Right now, what we need is the resolve to cultivate new ground in a new place. For the family’s sake, and… for their sake too."
There was a warm concern in Tang Gun-ak's gaze as he observed the family.
Though they're moving at a pace that seems frustratingly slow by his standards since they haven't learned martial arts, they're all taking steps without complaint.
What Tang Gun-ak must do from now on was to change the despair that hadn’t yet completely disappeared from their eyes into hope.
“...I owe you an apology."
"W- What are you saying, Gaju-nim!"
Baek Cheon waved his hands vigorously at the apology that Tang Gun-ak offered.
"Of course, my opinion may not be so important in this matter, but having Tang Family in Shaanxi would be a grateful thing. What could be more reassuring?”
"When you put it that way..."
“Heheng!”
The warm atmosphere was abruptly cut short. Tang Gun-ak and Baek Cheon simultaneously turned their gaze to one place. There stood Chung Myung with an expression that seemed to have 'I object' written all over his face.
“Where?”
“Shaanxi....”
"Where?"
“Hua...yin.”
"Huaaaaaaayiiiiin?"
Chung Myung's eyes bulged. Baek Cheon, having seen this sudden emergence of a malevolent spirit many times, didn’t bat an eye. But Tang Gun-ak, unaccustomed to such spectacles, instinctively recoiled.
"For someone who should know better, what? Settling in Huayin?"
“...That’s....”
“No, I didn't take you for that kind of person, but do you have no basic decency! What’s there to scavenge in that cramped patch of land that Tang Family needs to settle there, the Tang clan! We barely have enough for ourselves!"
"Ahem. Well, it's not like we'll stay for thousands of years..."
“Hey, this guy! What nonsense are you spouting? If Tang Family comes at a time like this, we should be grateful.”
When Yoon Jong couldn’t bear it any longer and cut in, Chung Myung glared at him fiercely.
"Grateful? Did you just say grateful? No, in this damn Shaanxi with all those Southern Edge Sect bastards, I'm already so fed up that I've been thinking about setting fire to Southern Edge Sect Mountain and burning it all down!"
"I'd like to inform you that this statement is unrelated to Mount Hua's official stance."
“...Seriously, I’m scared someone might actually hear this. Everyone, this man is a Taoist priets."
Though Five Swords muttered while covering their faces, Chung Myung paid no heed and continued.
"And if Tang Family crawls in too, huh? What will we eat to survive, what!"
“No, that’s....”
"And how many? Over five hundred mouths to feed and give shelter to! What, does money just grow out of the ground or something?"
Jo-Gol snapped at the words.
“Hey, you rascal! How dare you talk about money in front of Tang Family! Do you know how rich Tang Family is!"
"What?"
"Compared to Tang Family's wealth, our house is like a beggar's hut hastily built under a bridge! Do you know how much money they could make just by selling one of the rare metals and poisons they’ve piled up?"
"Oh, right. Well said. Expensive and rare poisons, gems and metals worth enough to buy a manor, and treasures piled up in warehouses."
“Yeah, you rascal!”
"So where is all that now?"
"Huh?"
Well... back in Sichuan... uh...
"Gone up in flames."
"Fire is fair."
"Yeah, real fair. It was fair to Mount Hua too."
"Why bring that up!"
The wealth that Tang Family had accumulated over hundreds of years wasn't brought along on their evacuation. Most of it had burned, or that Jang Ilsso bastard probably devoured it all while laughing.
"So, that means..."
"Yes, so that means..."
Five Swords thought deeply about something and then slowly turned to look in the same direction.
Under the sudden weight of their stares, cold sweat dripped down Tang Gun-ak’s face. Their eyes were clearly saying, 'What? So you're actually poor?' like that...
Huh? Soso? Why do even you have that look....
"They’re not rich. They used to be rich!"
“Ahem.”
Of all people, even Tang Gun-ak began to look deflated. Baek Cheon quickly cleared his throat and spoke.
"Of course, the situation is difficult now, but... Tang Family is still Tang Family, right? If we help a little, soon they'll flourish again..."
"Yeah, and when they thrive, they’ll start poaching kids who want to enter Mount Hua. And split the business territories too, right? Just like those Southern Edge Sect bastards."
"...How about going to Henan instead?"
“Sa- Sasuk!”
"A slip... My words came out wrong."
Baek Cheon quickly waved his hand. But what’s said couldn’t be unsaid, and Five Swords’ cold stares rained down.
"Has his personality always been this bad, or did it just get worse?"
“I think it’s the latter. The blood is bad. How can Southern Edge Sect lineage blood change?"
"You have a point."
“...You bastards.”
Tang Gun-ak sighed deeply as he watched Five Swords bicker.
"I don't know about other things, but we won't be stealing disciples. Rather, we're the ones losing them."
“Huh? What does that mean?”
"The daughters of Tang Family said they want to join Mount Hua."
"...I'd rather pretend I didn't hear this, but since Gaju-nim was speaking so loudly... Didn't Gaju-nim decide to teach them Tang Family's martial arts instead?"
"Of course, I’ll teach it to those who want it. But as you all know, Tang Family martial arts aren’t exactly versatile."
“...That’s true.”
Poisoning and hidden weapons were martial arts that were difficult to master even after practicing for a lifetime. Tang Family was called great precisely because they built their legacy on such arts.
"For martial arts started late in life, there's no need to force them down a thorny path. If they wish to join Mount Hua, I'm willing to permit that as well."
"No, this is getting ridiculous as I listen. We’re the ones taking in disciples, so why are you the one giving permission? Don’t this yangban understand the situat … Mmph! Mmmph!"
Baek Cheon covered Chung Myung's mouth with his hand and released head band with his other hand. Then he stuffed it into Chung Myung's mouth like a gag.
"...That thing has more uses than I thought."
"Right."
"Take this bastard away somewhere!"
"Yes."
As Chung Myung was dragged away, Tang Gun-ak sighed and continued his words.
"Not just the daughters. I plan to open the path to join Mount Hua for young children who haven't properly exposed to Tang Family martial arts yet."
"From our perspective, we couldn't be more grateful, but..."
Baek Cheon turned his head awkwardly toward a certain spot.
“...Will that be okay?"
There was Chung Myung, with his limbs bound, pouring out through his eyes alone the message: 'Just let those Tang brats try to crawl in here. I'll personally show them hell.'
“...They’ll overcome that.”
Tang Gun-ak said with a strained expression. Of course, it wouldn't be alright, but...
"So please take good care of..."
Riiiiip!
At that moment, Chung Myung, who had suddenly broken the ties binding him, sprang to his feet and spat out Baek Cheon's head band like a cannonball.
“No, disciples or whatever shit! So what are you going to do with the money? You’re settling on someone else’s land, you need to pay land rent!"
“...Just go to Evil Sects.”
“If you think about it, if this bastard had been born in Gangnam and raised as an Evil Sects punk, Jang Ilso wouldn’t have run wild like that."
Though a different kind of hell would have unfolded instead.
"Feed five hundred people who have no money? Are we running a charity here?"
"Yes."
"Huh?"
Chung Myung turned to Yoon Jong. Yoon Jong spoke calmly.
“Yes. We’re a Taoist Sect. We do charity.”
“Huh? Really? Is that what Taoist Sect usually does?”
...A tear welled up in Yoon Jong's eyes. Oh, Yuanshi Tianzun. Where did it all go wrong? Just where...
"Ahem! Anyway, I absolutely won’t accept this! It already bugs me to death seeing those Beggar Union bastards begging around Huayin, and now we’re adding more freeloaders....”
"We have money."
“...Yes?”
Chung Myung turned sharply to Tang Gun-ak.
"You brought it?"
"As you can see, I didn’t."
"Then what, you just carry a stash around?"
"Who brings money to a battlefield?"
Chung Myung's eyes, which had momentarily softened, became fierce again.
“Then where does the money come from!”
"Didn’t Tang Family have to leave Sichuan once before because of Evil Sects?"
"What? That's... right?"
"Since then, we’ve kept about thirty percent of our assets distributed across various regions and banks, in case of emergency."
“How much?”
"Three tenths."
"Uh... So, like..."
Three tenths of Tang Family's wealth, which had been sucking the lifeblood of Sichuan people for hundreds of years... Um...
Chung Myung glanced up at the sky before lowering his head. A warm smile spread across his face as he looked at Tang Gun-ak.
"Welcome to Shaanxi. Hehe. Isn’t that what friends are for? Stay and rest as much as you want! From now on, we'll protect you!"
...Tang Gun-ak was seriously considering just going to Henan and seeking refuge with Shaolin instead.
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