Mount Hua Seems to Have Changed Somehow (5)
Baek Cheon's smiling face looked as though it had been lifted straight from a painting.
You couldn't exactly call it a perfect face, but it had a pull to it—a kind of charisma that drew people in.
I've felt this sort of thing before, from a few guys back in the day.
That cocky bastard from the Namgung Family, for one... and that bald freak from Shaolin. They'd both had this same sort of aura.
In other words.
Prodigies are prodigies, huh.
Of course, he couldn't be compared to those monsters, but in a place like Mount Hua, where the decent talents were all about the same, he stood out like a crane among crows. It was enough to make Chung Myung wonder why on earth someone like him had crawled into a wrecked sect like this one.
The problem was that this prodigy was now latched onto Chung Myung's ankle and wouldn't let go.
"What do you mean?"
First things first: deny everything.
"You look like you know exactly what I'm talking about."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Baek Cheon tilted his head slightly. It wasn't the gesture of someone who genuinely didn't know; it was exaggerated, deliberately teasing Chung Myung.
"How strange. You seem familiar somehow. By the way, when did you join the sect?"
The one who answered wasn't Chung Myung, but Yoon Jong standing beside him.
"He entered while Sasuk was away from Mount Hua. You wouldn't have seen him before."
"Hmm, I see. I understand."
Baek Cheon smiled faintly.
"For someone you supposedly just met, you seem quite close to the others. It's a good thing for the eldest disciple to look after the youngest. Isn't that right?"
"Yes, Sasuk."
Yoon Jong answered awkwardly. Baek Cheon seemed to read something in that response, because he nodded knowingly.
"It seems I may be fated to know you. Though it's our first meeting, you look strangely familiar. I feel as if we'll be seeing each other often. What's your name?"
"Chung Myung."
"I'm Baek Cheon. Make sure you remember my name."
At that moment, a firm voice cut in.
"The Sect Leader is waiting. Why are you standing around gossiping about private matters!"
"Ah, my apologies. Just for a moment."
Baek Cheon bowed to Un Geom, then gave Chung Myung a quick look of acknowledgment. After that, he turned neatly on his heel and joined the line moving toward the training grounds.
Jo Gul watched the whole thing and leaned close to Chung Myung.
"Have you seen Baek Cheon Sasuk before?"
"No."
Even if he had, he'd say no.
"Be careful. Baek Cheon Sasuk is the greatest of the Baek-generation disciples. He's insanely impressive."
"Impressive?"
"I'm serious."
Yoon Jong added to Jo Gul's words.
"He's known as Mount Hua's greatest prodigy. People say he's the one who'll raise Mount Hua from the ashes."
"Mount Hua's greatest prodigy?"
That sounded familiar. Back when he was... well, when he was still a snot-nosed little punk, people around him used to say things like that a lot.
Of course, it later changed to Mount Hua's greatest good-for-nothing.
"Mount Hua's greatest prodigy was Jo Sasuk, wasn't it?"
"What the hell are you talking about? People can hear you!"
Jo Gul's face flushed bright red, completely unlike him.
"Baek Cheon Sasuk is someone I couldn't even begin to compare myself to."
"Ah, right, right. A healthy sense of defeat is good. Keeps a person humble."
"Huh?"
"Never mind, Sasuk."
Chung Myung looked at the back of Baek Cheon, who was walking ahead, with a strange expression.
Crane among crows.
It was a good saying. A very good saying.
But in reality, it wasn't always such a good thing.
A heron belonged among herons. A heron among a flock of crows was simply an unnatural sight. And in most cases...
It means there's a defect somewhere.
As Chung Myung grew a little interested and kept watching Baek Cheon, Yoon Jong continued his explanation.
"In fact, Baek Cheon Sasuk's Taeulmirigeom is said to have already reached near-complete mastery. I've heard the elders have very high expectations for him. There are even rumors that, despite his young age, they're considering passing down the Fuhuchengyang Sword to him."
"Hmm."
So he was the disciple Mount Hua was focusing its support on the most among the Baek-generation disciples.
That sounds like a huge pain.
Chung Myung of the past had been the same.
There was always some new thing he had to learn. Everyone else would train a little, then go off to rest, while Chung Myung had elders coming after him to push him, and martial uncles coming after him to push him. Even his shixiong... no, the sect elder brother—what, was he missing any part of the chain of torment?
Still, it made sense.
The reputation of a sect was built over history, yes, but the rise and fall of any given era often depended on a single master.
Even a minor sect, if it produced one famous expert, would soon be overflowing with people wanting to join. On the other hand, no matter how glorious a sect's history and tradition were, if it failed to produce a master worthy of its name, it would attract nothing but flies.
The only way for Mount Hua, which was sinking into ruin, to make a comeback was to produce a master acknowledged by all. Just one person. If even one such person appeared, the situation could be turned around.
Of course, that was before I showed up.
Now? Not really an issue.
They had money, after all.
"Aren't the martial uncles practically like a painting come to life?"
"Exactly. I don't know if I'll ever be able to keep up with them."
"They're handsome, and strong too."
Chung Myung stared at the two of them in dumb disbelief.
Are these idiots blind as moles?
Fine, he could understand calling someone "handsome." That was subjective. Personal taste was a broad thing, and Chung Myung was a righteous man who didn't force his tastes on others.
But "strong" was another matter.
If they're strong, then there wouldn't be a single weakling left in the whole Central Plains.
"If anything, ordinary martial uncles would be able to beat the shixiongs, wouldn't they?"
At Chung Myung's words, Jo Gul let out a snort of disbelief.
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
"...Oh, right."
Shixiong.
Sect elder brother.
This is the kind of thing I have to put up with. If you have even a shred of conscience, come down here and say something, would you? Do you know how wronged I am?
They say other immortals come down into the mortal world and give advice here and there. What kind of luck did my elder brother have that he couldn't even become an immortal, let alone come down and speak on my behalf?
Huh?
And you say even if he became an immortal he'd still side against me?
Damn it!
While Chung Myung was bickering with his martial brothers, the Baek-generation disciples had already finished lining up.
"Huh?"
Then, from the direction of the halls rather than the mountain gate, someone hurried over at a trotting pace and joined the line.
Chung Myung narrowed his eyes.
That's a Baek-generation disciple too.
Yu... Yu something. Whatever. Yu who-cares.
Since they were tangled together by a ridiculous sort of fate, he couldn't help paying attention. Surely she hadn't gone running her mouth like that the very next day, had she?
As Chung Myung frowned and looked at Yu I-seol, Jo Gul grinned wickedly.
"Come to think of it, this is your first time seeing Yu Sago, isn't it?"
"Her?"
"Yeah. Yu I-seol Sago. Once you see her, you can't take your eyes off her. She's just too beautiful."
"Dae-sahyung."
"Hmm?"
"Do you happen to have any chili powder or cinnamon powder on you?"
"Why?"
"I'm going to sprinkle some in your ears. Hearing Jo Gul Sasuk say something like that is making my ears ooze oil."
It couldn't get any more greasy than this.
Yoon Jong nodded vigorously.
"For once, I agree with you. If I can get some, I'll give you some too."
"Thanks."
Jo Gul's face twisted sharply.
"What's wrong with what I said? It's just that not many people know Yu Sago. Once she's been on a couple of excursions in the jianghu, she'll be a lock for the title of Shaanxi's most beautiful woman."
As Jo Gul chattered away, Chung Myung let out a long sigh.
"This sect is full of nonsense. Mount Hua's greatest prodigy, Shaanxi's greatest beauty... anyone hearing this would think the entire Shaanxi region belonged to us."
"But it's true."
Jo Gul pointed at Yu I-seol with his chin.
"Honestly, isn't she pretty?"
"Ha..."
Before Chung Myung could even answer, Jo Gul cut him off.
"But don't even dream of it. Yu Sago has feelings for Baek Cheon Sasuk."
"...Sasuk."
"Hmm?"
Chung Myung sighed deeply.
"Instead of wasting time meddling in other people's love lives, maybe if you swung your sword one more time, you'd already have made a name for yourself with it by now?"
"Don't stab me where it hurts."
"Let's just not talk."
Chung Myung gave Jo Gul a look of utter disgust and turned away.
Now that he thought about it, for someone who insisted on calling her "Sago," she really did seem to fit the name. Chung Myung silently watched Yu I-seol standing in line.
Once all the Baek-generation disciples had finished lining up, the Sect Leader, who had been watching them, smiled warmly.
"You've all worked hard. Was training difficult?"
Baek Cheon spoke on behalf of the Baek-generation disciples.
"Sect Leader, it was not difficult at all. We do not forget that our training was made possible by the painstaking support of the sect. How could we possibly speak of hardship?"
"Did you achieve anything?"
Baek Cheon smiled.
"We only came to realize that the path of the sword has no end, no matter how deeply one pursues it. Still, we have returned with achievements that would make our former selves look foolish."
"That is good to hear."
Hyun Jong turned and looked at Hyun Young.
"Finance Elder."
"Yes, Sect Leader."
"Since the children of Mount Hua have returned after completing such grueling training, surely we should hold a feast to commend their hard work, should we not?"
"What do you mean, feast...? No, no, of course we should."
"..."
Hyun Jong looked at Hyun Young with a faintly odd expression.
My junior brother seems a little strange these days.
To be precise, ever since the incident with the Eunha Merchant Guild, the frequency of his odd remarks had increased dramatically. Whether his personality had changed or whether he had simply been holding himself back all this time and had finally been let off the leash was impossible to say.
"I've already had the dining hall prepared. It should be enough for everyone to sit down and relax."
"I see."
Hyun Jong said to the Baek-generation disciples, "I have many things I'd like to say, but it wouldn't be right to keep those who have traveled such a long way waiting. If there is nothing pressing to discuss, let us stop here for now."
"...Sect Leader, if I may be so bold, may I ask one thing?"
Hyun Jong had every intention of ending the ceremony quickly, but Baek Cheon didn't seem to share that wish.
"Go ahead."
"Now that I have returned to Mount Hua after so long, it seems the scenery has changed greatly. I would like to ask what happened."
"Good things happened. Thanks to that, we were able to renovate the outer grounds."
It was a gentle but final answer. Hearing it made it difficult to ask what exactly those "good things" had been.
"You must have many questions, but we have plenty of time. You can hear the full story slowly later."
"Yes, Sect Leader."
"Unam."
"Yes."
Unam, who had been standing at Hyun Jong's side, straightened respectfully.
"Help the children who have worked hard enjoy some time to themselves."
"Yes, Sect Leader."
Hyun Jong gave a small nod, then turned his head to one side.
"Chung Myung!"
"..."
Chung Myung's face twisted slightly.
No, seriously, why does that old man keep looking for me more and more every day?
Today wasn't even some special occasion.
"Yes! Sect Leader!"
Chung Myung staggered out from among the lined-up third-generation disciples.
"Come to my quarters for a moment. I have something I wish to tell you."
"Again?"
Baek Cheon's eyes bulged as he watched from the side.
Again...?
Again to the Sect Leader?
Baek Cheon wondered if he had heard wrong. But no matter how he looked at it, it didn't seem like he had. Every single Baek-generation disciple lined up there had the same expression on their face.
What he couldn't understand was that everyone except the Baek-generation disciples didn't seem to react at all.
Anyone who had spoken to the Sect Leader like that should have been torn apart on the spot, and yet no one was so much as raising an eyebrow!
Even the Sect Leader himself merely smiled serenely.
"Would you come if I prepare some sweets?"
"Ugh. Yes, fine. I'm coming."
Hyun Jong, wearing a pleased expression, led Chung Myung away toward his quarters.
Baek Cheon stared wordlessly after them, then turned to Un Geom with a bewildered expression.
"Sasuk. That child is... exactly what is he?"
"Hmm."
Un Geom smiled kindly.
"I think it'd be best for your mental health if you just stop worrying about it."
"Pardon?"
"Especially for you."
With a shrug, Un Geom turned away.
"Unpack your things and come to the dining hall. Don't be late."
"...Yes."
Baek Cheon felt the strange sense of unease he'd been feeling since earlier growing even stronger.
Mount Hua seems to have changed somehow.
It could simply be that he was out of practice and feeling awkward after being away so long. But there was one thing in particular.
Baek Cheon's gaze drifted toward the Sect Leader and Chung Myung, who were growing smaller in the distance.
"Hmm."
And then he narrowed his eyes, looking distinctly displeased.