It's not that Chung Myung didn't understand the fear they felt. In fact, he understood their feelings more deeply than anyone else—because he had already experienced it once before.
When the Demonic Cult began pushing into the Central Plains, the moment he grasped their overwhelming strength and purpose intellectually, Mount Hua was gripped by suffocating fear and pressure. The fear that if nothing was done, the Central Plains might be destroyed. And the pressure that Mount Hua must share that responsibility. Burdened by that weight, Mount Hua ultimately rushed forward to sacrifice itself once before.
That was surely the right choice. Because as a result, the Central Plains defeated the Heavenly Demon and stopped the demonic cult. But…
"Chung Mun sahyung."
Chung Myung addressed Chung Mun, who was shedding tears of blood.
"Do you still believe that choice was right, Sahyung?"
There was no need to hear an answer. The tears Chung Mun shed spoke for themselves.
If there really is a Heavenly realm, and Chung Mun watched with his own eyes the disgrace Mount Hua and their descendants suffered in their downfall, then for Chung Mun, that place would be more fittingly called an endless hell rather than a Heavenly realm. How could a place that forces one to witness scenes more agonizing than burning in hell be called a Heavenly realm?
And now, Hyun Jong is walking that path.
Chung Myung opened his eyes and looked at Hyun Jong. The face of Chung Mun overlapped with Hyun Jong's face sitting before him.
"Sect leader."
"…Speak."
"I know it might be ridiculous for me to say this."
"…You do know that, huh, you brat."
That one phrase from Chung Myung slightly eased the heavy atmosphere.
Chung Myung was always like that. Even when everyone tried to stop him, he would rush into enemy lines without hesitation because it was his duty. So it didn't make sense that now he was trying to stop Hyun Jong.
"Disciple, I have thought long and hard. Why did Mount Hua fall despite upholding the greater cause and doing what was right?"
"…"
"Why did it have to shed tears of blood even though it did the right thing?"
Hyun Jong closed his eyes slightly. In truth, that question was an unsolvable riddle for those living in Mount Hua now.
They were taught to uphold their concept of righteousness. But the price of keeping those agreements was devastating. The gap between what was learned and what was experienced sometimes made them doubt their path.
If it were about protecting others with their own death, everyone here would do it without hesitation.
But Mount Hua's disciples knew that what they were about to do would push even those they most wanted to protect into the yoke of sacrifice.
How can one accept that the price of trying to protect loved ones is the sacrifice of those very people?
Can they really die smiling?
Can someone who witnessed with their own eyes the horrific scene of comrades who trained, laughed, and joked together all dying truly feel joy for preventing the Central Plains' destruction and die smiling?
Now, Chung Myung had brought up the fact that Mount Hua's disciples had implicitly tried not to mention.
"…Have you thought about it?"
"Yes."
"So… have you found the answer?"
Chung Myung slowly shook his head.
"I have not found it, sect leader."
"…"
"I only hoped. That we would become stronger. And that they would be weaker than before. So that even if the same thing repeated, the outcome wouldn't be as tragic as before."
Hyun Jong closed his eyes.
It was an empty and futile answer. But Hyun Jong was no different from Chung Myung. To hold onto the facade of agreement and righteousness, they merely hoped—hoping that nothing would ever threaten their lives.
"Therefore, when I heard the Demonic Cult had appeared, I had to go. Not to stop them, but to confirm. To see with my own eyes how strong they were."
Hyun Jong's eyelids trembled.
Because he could anticipate the despair Chung Myung must have felt upon seeing the Demonic Cult's power with his own eyes. No, he could clearly feel it in that gaze.
"…You must have felt so desperate."
"Yes."
Chung Myung answered calmly. So calm that it was painful. A sigh escaped from Hyun Jong's lips.
Why did this boy always keep such stories inside himself?
If only he would share a little more of what he holds inside, he would somehow help. No… even if he couldn't help, he would at least try his best.
"I fought without finding the answer. Because fighting is better than not fighting."
"…"
"But through fighting, I came to understand why Mount Hua failed."
Hyun Jong looked at Chung Myung with a dazed expression.
"Why?"
"Because it did not believe."
"…Did not believe?"
"Yes."
Chung Myung slowly nodded.
Chung Mun was undoubtedly a great person. Not in martial strength, but in human strength, there was no one comparable even in Chung Myung's lifetime. Even Hyun Jong, whom Chung Myung acknowledges now, might seem weak compared to Chung Mun.
But…
"Back then, Mount Hua was very strong, and its leader was excellent. Therefore… precisely because of that, Mount Hua could trust no one but itself."
Only now did he understand why Mount Hua had to bear that heavy burden alone.
Chung Mun always told him not to go alone but to care for his fellow disciples. Not to go alone, but to lead the less capable with his excellence. That was Chung Mun's way. But…
Chung Myung bit his lip slightly.
Perhaps this was the first time in his long life that he said this…
"That way was wrong."
The moment he spoke, his tongue burned. Denying Chung Mun was like denying all of Chung Myung. But… now Chung Myung had to do this bitter thing.
Not for those left in the past, but for those living now.
"The reason Mount Hua could fight at the forefront was because there were those supporting from behind."
Chung Myung could fight at the front because there were people supporting him.
"Yet Mount Hua believed it did everything alone."
Still, Chung Myung believed he did everything himself.
"If Mount Hua had even a little time to look back at those fighting behind…"
If Chung Myung could have looked at those fighting behind even a little.
"The outcome might have been different."
They might not have lost them all.
Having said that much, Chung Myung quietly closed his eyes.
Mount Hua of that era was certainly a strong and great sect. But because of that, it was also arrogant and dogmatic in its way. It looked coldly at those who couldn't understand Mount Hua's righteousness. This is an undeniable fact.
Chung Mun always scolded Chung Myung for not harmonizing with others. But Mount Hua, with Chung Mun as its leader, might not have been much different from Chung Myung. The harmony Chung Mun spoke of was merely harmony within the sect.
Still, Chung Myung believed Chung Mun was absolutely right.
Because Chung Mun was always the right person and too great for Chung Myung to follow.
But fighting Dan Ja-Kang, he came to realize.
Behind him was Tang Bo, but behind Mount Hua, there was no one.
Even Chung Mun, whom Chung Myung revered like Mount Tai, was not perfect. He was just a human who struggled throughout his life.
And now, for the first time, Chung Myung looks at the world freed from the shadow of Chung Mun that had hung over him—a shadow that was warm but also heavy and deep.
"Sect leader."
"Yes… yes, Chung Myung."
"When a person's heart becomes anxious, they forget what they possess."
"…"
"What do we have?"
Hyun Jong hesitated to answer. What do we have… what do we possess…
Righteousness? Harmony? Or… force?
Hyun Jong looked around at those seated here with deeply sunken eyes. Then, as if having no more thoughts, he spoke.
"Mount Hua has many things. But if I had to name the most precious and important one, there is only one."
Hyun Jong nodded with a slight smile.
"It's just people."
Chung Myung smiled back at those words. It was exactly what he hoped Hyun Jong would say.
"It's different from the past. We have people. Not just Mount Hua, but those who stand with Mount Hua."
Hyun Jong nodded slightly.
Since Chung Myung came, Mount Hua gained many things. But the greatest among them is undoubtedly relationships and bonds.
"I was the same. When crushed by the power of the Four Sects Alliance, the first thing I chose was simply to increase my own strength. I was willing to give up everything for that."
"Yes, that's right."
"Originally, the Heavenly Friends Alliance should have fallen then. Who would wait for someone who abandoned all responsibility to grow their own power? But… the leader of the Tang family bore even the tasks we had to do and silently waited for us."
Chung Myung turned his head to look at Tang Gunak. Receiving that gaze, Tang Gunak gave an awkward smile as if embarrassed at the praise.
"Why did you do that, family lord?"
"Is there any particular reason? Just…"
It was an embarrassed voice rarely heard from Tang Gunak. So instead, it felt full of genuine sincerity without a hint of doubt.
"Because we are close friends."
As if embarrassed to say such words himself, Tang Gunak lightly cleared his throat. Chung Myung smiled warmly.
If at that time,
When they lost what they should never have lost in the past.
If there had been a sect like the Tang family in Mount Hua, if there had been someone like Tang Bo for Chung Myung in Mount Hua, would they have just watched Mount Hua's downfall? Would they have stood by as a pack of wolves rushed toward Mount Hua?
No, absolutely not. There's no way.
Tang Bo would have risked his life to stop it. The current Tang family would never have let them set foot on Mount Hua's gates no matter what happened.
What Mount Hua has now but did not have then.
"Sect leader…"
This is a word from Chung Myung, a disciple of Mount Hua, to Sect leader Hyun Jong, and also from the Plum Blossom Sword Saint Chung Myung to the past Chung Mun.
"A swordsman wavering before a powerful enemy must trust his sword and the time he has spent training."
"…That's right."
"Then what should a sect believe in?"
"Well…"
Hyun Jong looked once more at those seated before him. Then, with gentle eyes, he answered Chung Myung.
"The value of what it has protected itself… and the conviction in the path it has walked."
"Yes, sect leader."
Chung Myung also smiled softly.
"The reason we formed the Heavenly Friends Alliance was because we needed people to trust and fight alongside each other. Because we believed we would be strength and fortress for one another."
"Yes, that's right."
Chung Myung slowly bowed his head.
"So, sect leader, when you are troubled about what to do, look back at what Mount Hua has protected. I believe all answers lie within."
Hyun Jong quietly gazed at the bowed Chung Myung.
What they have done. What they have protected.
"…I understand what you mean."
Chung Myung closed his eyes.
'Sect leader sahyung.'
In the darkness, Chung Mun was still watching him. But Chung Mun's face was no longer filled with pain.
'Don't worry. The children now are better than us.'
At that moment, a gentle smile blossomed on Chung Mun's lips as he looked at him.
Chung Myung closed his eyes for a long time, gazing at that smile.
For a long time.