“Then take good care of this, Huayoung Gate Leader.”

“Elder… what will happen if you leave now? Huayoung Gate still needs an elder’s guidance.”

“Haha.”

Hyun Young smiled and tapped Wei Lishan on the shoulder,

“It is good to be humble, but being overly so is also not good. When it comes to running a sub-sect, how can I compare to you, who is the leader of one?”

“But…”

“There is nothing to worry about.”

Hyun Young reassured Wei Lishan with a soft smile.

“It isn’t like Xi’an is far from Mount Hua, right? If something happens here, we will make sure to run over.”

“Elder, thank you for saying that.”

“I am the one who should thank you.”

Hyun Young comforted Wei Lishan by tapping him on the shoulder.

“With so many disciples and no one to compete with, won’t the sub-sect prosper?”

“Yes! Of course.”

“Let’s discuss opening an additional one in the near future.”

“Yes. There are still some of our members who are of a certain age, and they can do that.”

“Hehe. That is good news. And on a good day too. And…”

Clench.

Hyun Young, who held Wei Lishan on the shoulder, squeezed.

“Send the monthly payment through the Eunha merchant.”

“…Yes.”

“Hehe. I don’t want to burden you, but…”

Hyun Young checked the number of disciples standing behind Wei Lishan.

“Make sure it gets sent.”

“…we will continue to take in disciples too.”

“Hehe. You, what will you do if you become weak from overwork?”

Elder…

I think you need to make your intentions a bit clearer; do you want me to reduce the disciples for my health or increase them for more money…

Your face is so bright that I might die…

Wei Lishan secretly took a step back from Hyun Young and looked at the Mount Hua disciples wrapping their luggage.

“Disciples, you couldn’t even get proper rest…”

“Hehe. It is fine.”

Chung Myung shrugged,

“Actually, we can stay a bit longer, but since you are here and the sahyungs were relaxed, we didn’t have time to train.”

“… you did so much and you call it relaxed?”

“That devil….”

Angry grumbling came from around Chung Myung, who simply ignored them.

“And the best way to help a sub-sect is to make the main sect stronger. Do not worry, we will help you! By all means! A lot and perfectly!”

No… you don’t… have to…

Wei Lishan couldn’t respond to Chung Myung, and at that time, Wei Soheng, who was to the side, stepped forward and bowed his head.

“Disciples, thank you very much.”

“Ah, yes. But Soheng. You…”

Chung Myung tilted his head,

“Didn’t you say you wanted to train back at the main sect?”

“I?”

“Uh, that was surely…”

“When?”

“The last time you…”

“Me?”

“…”

“When?”

Wei Soheng looked Chung Myung straight in the face without a change in expression.

“… this kid is going to make it big someday.”

Surely he would!

Of course, in the past, Wei Soheng did wish to train on Mount Hua. And since he would inherit the sub-sect, he wanted to be strong and leader-like. Shouldn’t such a leader have learned something directly from the main sect?

‘I won’t go even if it means death!’

He might die if he went.

Chung Myung… No, the training which Mount Hua handed down to the sub-sect was so horrifying that the disciples were all screaming in pain. Even Wei Lishan felt sorry for his disciples.

Now, maybe, Wei Lishan was feeling bad for Mount Hua leaving early, but the disciples of Huayoung, who had tortured their bodies, were having completely different thoughts.

‘Please just go away.’

‘Leader, don’t stop them. What if they decide to stay for more days?’

‘My legs are shaking from yesterday’s training. And if they see that, they will make me run more!’

In just one month’s time, the poor disciples were brought from fatty to boney.

Even though the amount of training was just one-fifth of the actual training done by Mount Hua…

So what?

Train like that?

“Disciple!”

“Uh?”

“I want to help my father! I am the one who should be the ghost of Huayoung Gate!”

“Ah, is that so?”

Chung Myung nodded as he looked at Wei Lishan.

“Leader.”

“Yes?”

“When everything is done properly, send him to Mount Hua.”

“…”

“I will take care of him personally and send back a perfect successor to the sub-sect.”

“…I will.”

“F-Father?”

Wei Soheng was shocked, but Wei Lishan just ignored him.

“If you want to succeed as a sub-sect you have to train in the main sect.”

Wait!

Father! You never trained in…

“Yes!”

Chung Myung and Wei Lishan held each other’s hands.

Watching the eyes of those two shine, Wei Soheng felt like he had lost it.

He didn’t have the power to stop these two.

“Then see you next time.”

“Y-You will leave now?”

“We want to hurry back to Mount Hua.”

Wei Lishan looked sorry at this. After they had come here, the disciples went through so much pain in such a short amount of time.

“Leader.”

“Yes, Young Disciple.”

“I request you take care.”

He wasn’t asking Wei Lishan to lead Huayoung but to take good care of Xi’an.

‘Request.’

This meant that Wei Lishan wasn’t simply the head of a sub-sect, but a person who held rank within the main sect.

He wasn’t sure what it meant, but Wei Lishan decided to accept the sentiment.

“Do not worry, Disciple. Huayoung is the family of Mount Hua, and I will make sure the name of Mount Hua will only ever shine.”

Chung Myung smiled,

“Hehe. I would appreciate that.”

Wei Lishan smiled,

‘Seriously…’

He hadn’t forgotten that.

-Mount Hua will always remember.

The words Chung Myung told him in the past.

-Mount Hua does not forget the grace shown to it. Your devotion to Mount Hua over the past few decades will be rewarded.

Wei Lishan closed his eyes.

‘Such a strange person.’

The world changed, and the status of Mount Hua, too; even the position Wei Lishan held had changed. Chung Myung, however, didn’t change as he walked on the same stable path.

Ah, right; unlike others, there weren’t many good things to say about Chung Myung…

Still.

“Disciple.”

“Yes?”

“…thank you.”

Chung Myung smiled brightly at those words, warming up the heart of Wei Lishan…

“Then raise the monthly deposit. These days the finances of Mount Hua are at a standstill.”

…stopped!

“… No, we have enough!”

“Even if we earn, the money is never enough!”

“This bastard!”

“I don’t think bastard cuts it anymore.”

“I have nothing to say.”

Wei Lishan smiled.

“When Huayoung Gate grows larger, let’s have a talk then.”

“Then you have to work hard.”

Chung Myung, who laughed, finally turned. If these talks continued, there would be no end to them. The only reason why they were saying such things here was because, just like Chung Myung, they were also having a hard time saying goodbye.

“Leader.”

“Yes, Elder.”

“If there is a problem while we are not here, immediately move to the Eunha merchant.”

“Yes! I will.”

“Then.”

Hyun Young glanced and looked at all the disciples of Mount Hua and nodded,

“Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

Eventually, they all left, with the disciples taking the lead.

“Disciples! Be careful!”

“Thank you!”

“May you have a good journey!”

“Do not come back!”

It seemed like someone else said something, but they didn’t bother asking.

“Right! Let’s meet again!”

As the disciples of Mount Hua waved their hands, the Huayoung disciples were ready to wave them back to Mount Hua.

“They are going!”

“Kuahaha! So long.”

“They won’t be back, right?”

“Freedom! HAHAHAH!”

Even if a lost nation were recaptured, no one would be this elated. Hearing the voices of his disciples, Wei Lishan’s face contorted.

‘Rotten bastards.’

And from tomorrow, he promised to roll these idiots on the ground harder than how the disciples from Mount Hua had.

They waved their hands for a long time at the disciples from Mount Hua.

“…thank you.”

A mixture of regret and gratitude.

“Can we just leave like this?”

“What?”

Chung Myung tilted his head at Baek Cheon’s question, so Baek Cheon clarified,

“… it feels like we have to do more.”

“It isn’t like you can stay there for thousand years.”

Chung Myung smiled.

Baek Cheon knew what he was hinting at. In order for things to happen clearly, the disciples had to be taught more and guided more.

But…

“Huayoung Gate is Huayoung Gate. They managed the place even when Mount Hua wasn’t doing well. It is a place better off than Mount Hua.”

“Um. That is true.”

“It would be wrong on our part to intervene any further into their matters. The work of the sub-sect has to be handled by them alone. It isn’t a place for Mount Hua to work, especially when we have our own place to work. Huayoung is a place that supports us.”

Chung Myung looked at Huayoung Gate, which was by now, very far away.

“Gate Leader Wei is a great man. He can handle it well.”

Baek Cheon looked at him with strange eyes.

Actually, it wasn’t common for Chung Myung to praise someone so much. So in the end, he shook his head,

“If you say so, then fine.”

Chung Myung shrugged,

“What about the Ghost Clan?”

“I told him to come to Mount Hua, so they will be there. This is something we need to report to Sect Leader.”

“Hmm.”

Baek Cheon smiled.

‘He was weirdly thorough with such things.’

Normally, Chung Myung would rush head-first into things, but when it came to working with other powers, he would never cross the line.

It was a natural thing to do, but it felt shocking as the one doing it was Chung Myung.

“So all we have to do is head to Mount Hua.”

“Yes. But…”

Chung Myung pointed to the person standing on the side.

“There is one thing left.”

“Um.”

Baek Cheon narrowed his eyes and looked at the person.

Nam Ja-Myung.

The Lord of West Moon Gate, a sub-sect of Southern Edge, was waiting for Mount Hua.

Hyun Young looked at him and asked,

“Is something the matter?”

“…I heard you were leaving.”

“Yes.”

Nam Ja-Myung bit his lip and stared at Hyun Young and the Mount Hua disciples,

“It is true that I showed an unsightly appearance.”

“…”

“And an embarrassing sight too.”

“So?”

“But.”

He spoke firmly,

“This is not the end. The sub-sects of Southern Edge will not collapse. I don’t know how long, but we will definitely get back what we have lost.”

Hearing that, Hyun Young smiled,

“Such good words.”

“… you are looking down on us?”

“No.”

Hyun Young shook his head and said,

“All you lost here was the public sentiment. In order to regain what was lost, you should carry out your tasks with a humble nature. Then Xi’an will be a good place to live and that is a good thing for me.”

“…”

“And… remember one thing. Mount Hua never ignores other sects. For that reason, the sorrow and suffering we endured for so long, have been too great. I hope you understand what I mean.”

Nam Ja-Myung nodded his head and Hyun Young continued,

“Since Mount Hua is considered a flower it will wither one day, but is withering the end? Flowers will always bloom once the winter passes.”

Nam Ja-Myung stepped aside and opened up the path as he said,

“Good luck.”

It must have been the best greeting one could give.

Hyun Young smiled and moved on,

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Nam Ja-Myung didn’t move until they were completely out of sight.

And when they moved far away, Baek Cheon spoke to Chung Myung.

“It is interesting.”

“What is?”

“I thought he was the worst leader of a Southern Edge sub-sect.”

“I thought Sasuk was the worst of the Baek disciples.”

“…”

“But you got hit.”

“Brat!”

Seeing Baek Cheon angry at the joke, Chung Myung smiled and continued,

“A person is different depending on the situation they are in. The only way to truly know who they are is to look when they have hit bottom.”

“… you mean that man is a warrior who has hit rock bottom?”

“Could be.”

Baek Cheon nodded.

“Then aren’t such people a threat? Especially to Huayoung Gate? Southern Edge cannot simply let their power run out of their hands.”

“Well, it could be like that, but…”

Chung Myung glanced back.

“Most veterans will rot one day. Even if Huayoung has only settled in Xi’an today, one day it will become a constant in that place.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to be strong rather than be a constant?”

“Yes, better than nothing.”

Chung Myung turned to the sky. In the past, his sahyung told him some things.

-It isn’t a good idea to get rid of things because you do not like them. If you turn off the water with a dam because it is a hassle, then one day, it will flood, causing more damage. If you set fire to the forest because it blocks your path, then it will no longer help humans live. Leave it alone. Isn’t this what living is all about? That is a Taoist way of life.

‘I am still not sure, Sahyung.’

Although he did speak the words of his sahyung, he wasn’t sure if he reached the path to Tao.

But…

Words that were like mist in the past felt so clear these days.

So someday…

Chung Myung, who had been walking, stopped and his face moved to the far away peaks.

“Let’s head to Mount Hua.”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

The feet of the Mount Hua disciples hastened.

And at that time.

The disciples didn’t know that there were other looks directed at the peak of Mount Hua.