Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1473

“The White Sword Fortress wants to join us!”

“We also heard from the Azure Sea Gate. They’re on their way here with their people.”

Beopgye nodded. More groups want to join the Nine Great Sects. We heard from more today.

“This is good news, Abbot.”

But Beopjeong didn’t answer. He was thinking hard. Then, he looked at Hyedo, who had brought the news.

“Hyedo.”

“Yes, Abbot.”

“How many groups want to join us today?”

“…Thirty-two.”

Thirty-two.

That was a good number. But Beopjeong frowned. He wasn’t happy.

Beopgye saw something was wrong and asked carefully,

“Abbot, is there a problem…?”

Beopjeong didn’t answer. He asked Hyedo,

“Did any groups join without telling us first? How many?”

“Are you asking about today only?”

“Yes.”

“…About sixteen…”

“Sixteen, you say?”

“Yes, Abbot.”

“What about yesterday?”

“Sorry?”

“How many groups came yesterday? I mean, the ones who didn’t tell us first.”

“I’m not sure… but I think it was about twenty. I’ll check again…”

“Twenty?”

Hyedo stopped. Beopjeong’s face was strange when he said ‘twenty.’

“So, only about fifty groups joined today?”

Hyedo didn’t say anything. He just reported the numbers. He couldn’t answer the question.

“…Beopgye.”

“Yes, Abbot.”

“Check the situation again right away. This is very strange.”

“Yes?”

“If things were normal, almost twice as many groups would want to join the Nine Great Sects. But the number is lower. Something must be wrong.”

“Abbot… Fifty is still a good number.”

“Didn’t you hear me? I said to check it again!”

Beopgye jumped back. Beopjeong’s voice was sharp. Hyedo had been watching Beopjeong’s face. He spoke softly,

“I don’t know if I’m right, Abbot, but… I might have seen something.”

Beopjeong looked at him quickly.

“What did you see?”

“It seemed like the groups near Hubei and Henan didn’t really want to join.”

“What?”

Beopjeong looked surprised.

“What are you saying? They should want to join the most. Why would they wait?”

“That’s…”

Beopgye frowned and said,

“Maybe they can’t decide between the Cheonwu Alliance and the Nine Great Sects…?”

“Nonsense!”

Beopjeong shook his head.

“That’s not possible.”

“Abbot, but…”

“I’m not being proud. This is more than just a fight for power. We protect Hubei, and Shanxi is their land, right?”

“That’s true, Abbot.”

“So, how could they join Shanxi?”

“…You’re right, Abbot. But maybe some people think Shanxi is safer?”

Beopjeong still shook his head.

“That’s not possible either.”

“Shanxi isn’t safer. And even if it was, how could they travel so far? They aren’t Shaolin or Wudang. They can’t just leave for Shanxi and come back easily.”

“Hmm.”

“If they were about to die, maybe. But if not, they’ll stay where they know people and places. Think about it. If good groups leave the people in danger, who will welcome them back?”

Big groups like the Nine Great Sects have their own businesses to make money. But small groups need money from the people who join and learn from them.

There’s more than one group in each place. So, who would join a group that left them? They could go somewhere else.

So, they can’t move around easily.

“But… isn’t that what’s happening, Abbot?”

“There must be another reason. We need to find out soon…”

“Um…”

Hyedo looked at Beopjeong and spoke again,

“I have a guess, but…”

“A guess? What is it?”

“I’m not sure… You should see it yourself first.”

Hyedo stood up. Beopjeong watched him.

Soon, Beopjeong followed Hyedo to a normal village near a busy city in Hubei. Beopjeong looked around, confused.

“…This is it?”

He saw carts full of bags and people carrying big bundles. Hyedo spoke carefully,

“They’re refugees.”

“Refugees?”

Hyedo nodded.

“Yes. People are leaving because this place will be a battlefield soon.”

“What are you talking about? We said we would protect them! We told them nowhere is safe!”

“Yes, that’s true, but…”

Hyedo sighed.

“That’s true for fighters, but not for normal people.”

Beopjeong’s eyes showed fear.

“You’re right, Abbot. It’s hard to leave, and even harder to come back. But… that’s for people who have something to protect. These people only have their lives to protect…”

Beopjeong laughed sadly.

He understood Hyedo. And he didn’t know this was happening.

Beopjeong had paid attention to people who weren’t fighters.

He thought it was important to keep the people of Hubei happy. He often left the temple to watch them.

‘I thought everything was okay.’

But he didn’t come to places like this. He learned something new. His temple was in the richest part of Hubei. The rich people there and the people running away now wouldn’t think the same way.

Beopjeong was wrong about this. But…

“How does their leaving explain your guess?”

“…Can you see over there?”

Hyedo pointed. There were fighters with swords. They were helping people load bags onto carts.

“What are they doing?”

“I just saw them quickly… I thought they were helping people get ready to leave. But now I think they’re taking them somewhere.”

“Taking them?”

Beopjeong didn’t believe it.

“Taking them! Why would people going to a safe place need someone to take them…?”

He stopped talking. He had an idea. He looked at Hyedo, and Hyedo looked down, embarrassed.

“…Where are they going?”

“…”

“Where are they running to?”

Hyedo didn’t answer. Beopjeong bit his lip. He walked to the people carrying bags and asked,

“Hello. Can I ask you something?”

The people looked tired. They saw Beopjeong and bowed.

“Oh, Monk. What is it? We want to help, but we don’t have anything…”

“That’s not it.”

They thought Beopjeong was a normal Buddhist, not Shaolin. They had heard Shaolin was in Hubei, but they didn’t think about it.

“Where are you going?”

The person laughed sadly and said,

“We’re running away. They say bad people will come here and fight, right?”

“…If you’re running away, where are you going?”

“To Shanxi, of course.”

Beopjeong’s hand moved inside his robe.

“Why Shanxi? I heard Shanxi is dangerous too.”

“Yes, they say that… But Shanxi is better. The Cheonwu Alliance is there.”

“…Isn’t the Nine Great Sects here?”

“Yes?”

The person looked confused. He didn’t know why Beopjeong was talking about the Nine Great Sects. Beopjeong was bewildered.

Beopjeong tried to stay calm.

“Didn’t the Nine Great Sects say they would protect this place?”

“Ah…”

The person understood. He nodded. But Beopjeong saw his eyes change from respect to fear.

Beopgye and Hyedo came closer. The person became more scared.

“We’re just… We heard it was better to go to Shanxi… We don’t know anything.”

“They said… it’s better to go to Shanxi… I don’t know anything.”

Beopjeong closed and opened his eyes. He looked at the scared person and spoke,

“Hyedo.”

“Yes, Abbot.”

Hyedo knew what to do. He took out a small bag of money and gave it to Beopjeong.

“Here. Use this to help you on your way.”

“Ah, no, Monk. We can’t take this…”

“Please, take it.”

Beopjeong gave him the money. The man bowed and left. He was still scared of Beopjeong.

Beopjeong watched them leave. He laughed sadly.

“…Shanxi. They’re going to Mount Hua.”

“…”

“They’re going to Mount Hua. And groups are leaving here to protect them. Is that what’s happening?”

“Abbot…”

“Why?”

Beopjeong spoke softly.

“Everyone knows the Cheonwu Alliance can’t protect them. When Sichuan was taken by the Four Evil Alliances, everyone should have known we’re the only ones who can protect them.”

“…”

“Why are they still trusting the Cheonwu Alliance? Why?”

Beopjeong wasn’t angry, sad, or disappointed. He was confused.

He didn’t expect this. He didn’t think these people would change the world.