Hyun Tang, a deserter.

At one time, he was called the strongest on Mount Hua, and he was someone who hoped to revive the fallen Mount Hua.

At that time, Hyun Jong never once doubted that this man would become anything other than the sect leader of Mount Hua. For the young Hyun Jong, Hyun Tang was his idol and goal.

But Hyun Tang threw away all the hopes placed on him and walked off of Mount Hua on his own feet.

Even before becoming Sect Leader.

‘A person with no thoughts of consequences.’

Hyun Young bit his lip.

His anger wasn’t because Hyun Tang simply abandoned them. Rather, he could understand the decision.

Mount Hua’s situation wasn’t good, so none of them would blame those who left. Hyun Young also felt that those who were left behind were the ones with nowhere to go, and he understood their choices.

But the present time is different.

Shortly before taking the position of Sect Leader, this man walked out with his Sajae, Hyun Beop, without informing anyone.

Surely this future was no longer possible, but hypothetically if that situation was repeated, where all the Un disciples died, and Baek Cheon was their hope, their very next Sect Leader. But then, what if Baek Cheon led Baek Sang and the other Sajaes as he walked out and away from Mount Hua?

Of course, between Yu Yiseol, Yoon Jong (and most of all Chung Myung) Baek Cheon would never have the chance to do this. But the old Mount Hua didn’t have Yu Yiseol, Yoon Jong, or Chung Myung.

It was a situation where the expectations and futures of all the disciples were placed on Hyun Tang, and him walking out was a shock to everyone.

The former Sect Leader had finally passed after suffering through agony, and the one who should be leading the sect walked out without a word.

What could be said about that?

After that incident, people who thought Mount Hua had no future began to leave one after another.

That was all. Even the sects who still wrote letters to Mount Hua cut off their communication after that.

In other words, it meant that the person who gave the final blow to the failing Mount Hua was none other than Hyun Tang.

Clench!

Hyun Young clenched his fist.

Hyun Jong, who had never dreamed of becoming a sect leader, took the position without being able to prepare for it. He was chosen only because he was the most skilled of those who were left behind.

Hyun Young remembered it all.

The place of the elders.

By the time he had reached that heavy and painful position, many disciples had already left Mount Hua, and Hyun Jong could only watch on.

That small and sad drooping position.

To Hyun Young, who knew what kind of path Hyun Jong was forced to take, Hyun Tang was worse than Hainan.

He bit his lip.

Hyun Tang was visibly shocked, and Hyun Jong was as calm as ever.

See.

There it was.

A person who had endured harsh storms and painful years rooted hard like a cypress on a cliff.

Hyun Young felt proud of Hyun Jong, the sect leader of Mount Hua.

‘Sect leader.’

Hyun Young was scolded for trying to be cold.

In the past, Hyun Jong wouldn’t have dared to think about doing this to Hyun Tang. But now, he seemed a lot bigger than Hyun Tang. Having overcome the painful years, he was no longer the Hyun Jong of the past.

“Hmm.”

When Hyun Tang was caught off guard by all of this, Hyun Beop gently coughed and spoke,

“Sect Leader. I feel like your words now were too much.”

“… too much?”

Hyun Jong’s stern gaze turned to Hyun Beop,

“What do you mean by too much?”

“…”

“Is there anything wrong with what I said?”

“It isn’t like that, but…”

He did step up to cover for Hyun Tang, but he had no idea what to say next.

From the start, there had been no reason for him to give any reasoning or any explanation to Hyun Jong. Wasn’t that the reason they had confidently walked up to Mount Hua? Wasn’t Hyun Jong weak?

‘When did he get so strong?’

Hyun Beop couldn’t hide his surprise.

He told Hyun Tang that people do not change so easily, but looking at Hyun Jong in front of him, this man felt like a whole different person from the one he had known.

Didn’t this man have enough dignity to lead a sect?

He used to firmly believe that the fundamentals of a person would not change no matter what they went through, but seeing Hyun Jong now, it felt like what he had truly believed was collapsing.

He felt confused about it.

“Hmm.”

Fortunately, Hyun Tang had calmed his mind from the shock.

“Sect Leader.”

“Speak.”

“How can we not understand the heart of Sect Leader? Of course, we understand it.”

“…”

“However, it isn’t that difficult to give me a chance, right? I really want to seek atonement. If we are given a chance, I want to help the sect leader make Mount Hua a worthy sect, a prestigious sect. To that end, I am determined not to hesitate even if I have to crush my bones. So, shouldn’t I be leading Mount Hua to its peak?”

Hyun Jong smiled at Hyun Tang’s words,

“It isn’t that I doubt the words of Sahyung.”

“… then what is it?”

“Mount Hua no longer needs your help.”

“…”

“You said you will help Mount Hua?”

Hyun Jong stared at Hyun Tang with cold eyes,

“Get out right now from Mount Hua. That is the only way you can help Mount Hua.”

“This…”

Hyun Beop was furious.

“Just because we keep listening, you are crossing the line? Do you think only you people suffered? Did you think that we who left Mount Hua had comfortable lives until now?”

“So what?”

“… what?”

Hyun Jong’s eyes were turning cold.

“So, you want to convince me that you really were exhausted by all your struggles?”

“… Y-You.”

Hyun Beop’s face twitched with anger, but he couldn’t say anything in front of those cold eyes. His tongue, which once moved like a well-oiled machine, was now stiff as if it had rusted.

Instead, Hyun Tang spoke,

“Hyun Jong.”

“How dare you!”

Hyun Jong had raised his hand to stop them, but paused when the man addressed him by name.

“Sect Leader!”

“Enough.”

Hyun Jong shook his head at the elder’s actions.

“Go on.”

Hyun Tang sighed,

“I know I am a sinner of Mount Hua. But can you give me a chance to atone for it?”

“…”

“Remember? In the past, I always liked you. Considering our relationship…”

“Do not say words which have no meaning.”

“.. what?”

“The person sitting in front of you isn’t your Sajae Hyun Jong, but the sect leader of Mount Hua. I do not decide the actions of Mount Hua based on my personal feelings.”

“…”

“I will not say much. Leave now and never step on Mount Hua again.”

The voice was firm, with nothing that could be said to rebuke it.

Hyun Tang trembled at this.

He wasn’t trembling because Hyun Jong had grown so much. Rather it was because of the humiliation he was facing from someone who had been nothing in front of him in the past…

“This…”

Hyun Tang bit his lip.

His eyes which were now shaking, failed to hide his feelings, and they turned cold.

“Sect Leader… no, Hyun Jong.”

“This guy keeps doing this!”

Hyun Young was furious, but Hyun Tang continued.

“I understand what you are trying to say. After all, this means you do not understand me.”

The gentle attitude he showed till then vanished. All that was left was an arrogant expression.

Seeing this, Hyun Jong let out a sad smile.

‘Nothing changed from the past.’

In the past, Hyun Tang was also such a person. Two-faced.

In the past, Mount Hua needed arrogance because they needed someone whose excess confidence would lead those who were losing theirs.

Wasn’t Hyun Jong also fascinated with this man?

But…

‘It is different now.’

Confidence and arrogance were similar but different.

If Hyun Tang had sat in the sect leader position, then this Mount Hua could have disappeared into history.

Even before Chung Myung could arrive on their doorstep.

“Go back.”

Hyun Tang smiled at that and said,

“Fine. Sounds good. But before that, let me ask you one thing.”

And he looked at Hyun Jong with cold eyes,

“Are you worthy of that?”

“…”

Hyun Jong looked at Hyun Tang without a word, and Hyun Tang smiled,

“I will ask you again. Do you have the right to give any order to me?”

“Why do you think I don’t?”

“Are you asking because you really don’t know?”

Hyun Tang reached out and grabbed a glass of water, and he drank it down without delay and put the glass down.

Hyun Young and Hyun Sang looked at Hyun Tang with anxious eyes.

Hyun Tang, who was silent, then spoke with a mocking look,

“If you are the real sect leader of Mount Hua, drive me out.”

Hyun Sang and Hyun Young jumped up from their seats and looked at Hyun Tang like they wanted to kill him.

But Hyun Tang didn’t move despite their glare and continued.

“But I want to ask you…”

A sly smile appeared on his lips.

“Are you really the sect leader of Mount Hua?”

“This guy is taking things too far!”

“How dare he act like this in front of Sect Leader!”

It was strange.

Hyun Young and Hyun Sang were red-faced with anger, but they also could only shout and do nothing.

And despite hearing those insulting words, Hyun Jong had a calm face,

“What do you want to say?”

“It is as I said.”

Hyun Tang smiled happily as if he had achieved what he wanted.

“It means that you aren’t the sect leader of Mount Hua.”

“…”

Hyun Jong’s expression didn’t change, but Hyun Tang was already sure that he was winning this.

And he calmly continued,

“Who decides who is the next sect leader? It is decided by the elders of the previous generation and, at the same time, the sect leader. In other words, it is said that only those of the previous generation can choose who will be the next sect leader.”

“…”

“And!”

Hyun Tang’s voice rose,

“The predecessors of Mount Hua. The sect leader and elders decided I would be the person who would be the sect leader of Mount Hua. It means that I, Hyun Tang, and not Hyun Jong, am the true sect leader of Mount Hua.”

Hyun Young’s face turned red as he yelled,

“How dare you come up with such sophistry!”

“Sophistry?”

Despite Hyun Young’s yelling, Hyun Tang looked relaxed. He asked Hyun Jong,

“Do you think the same?”

“…”

Hyun Jong didn’t answer.

Hyun Tang knew this was a positive indication.

“You don’t know. You really don’t know anything. It isn’t simple to succeed the legacy of a prestigious sect. Only those who are worthy can become sect leaders.”

“How dare an excommunicated person talk about the qualifications of a sect leader!”

“Who excommunicated me?”

Hyun Young went silent.

Hyun Tang looked at him and shouted loudly,

“There is no one who excommunicated me! Who would dare do that? You? You are just a sajae! What qualification do you have to do that to me!”

“You…”

He looked happy like he was fighting a battle he had already won.

“Answer me, Hyun Jong. Who is the sect leader of Mount Hua? Who did your teacher, the previous sect leader, appoint as the next sect leader of Mount Hua? If you truly are a follower of Mount Hua, there is only one answer which you can give.”

Hyun Jong looked at him, and after a long stare, he finally opened his mouth,

“Mount Hua’s sect leader is…”