Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1099

Tok. Tok. Tok. Tok.

The rhythmic sound of a wooden block and chanting filled the small room.

Each time the wooden block was struck, the lamp in the room flickered slightly.

It was beautiful to see. The old monk’s face was calm as he hit the wooden block and chanted. He seemed peaceful and showed the special grace of Buddhism.

Tok. Tok. Tok.

But then, the rhythmic sound of the wooden block started to fail. The lamp flickered more wildly.

The old monk stopped chanting. He opened his eyes and looked silently at the wooden block in his hand.

“I’ve been striking this my whole life.”

He had held this block for seventy years. Now, he could strike it perfectly, even with his eyes closed and ears blocked.

Yet, the block in his hand didn’t sound right.

“This block shows my mind…”

The old monk, Beopjeong, stared at the block with heavy eyes and slowly set it down. No matter how much he practiced, if his mind was not steady, it was useless.

In the end, everything depended on his heart.

Beopjeong knew this well. It was a Buddhist teaching he had tried to understand his whole life.

But…

“Everything is in the scriptures.”

The enlightened ones had already shown him the way. But people struggled to reach enlightenment because knowing wasn’t the same as doing.

“…Amitabha.”

A small Buddhist prayer escaped his lips.

How much more did he need to explore to become a Buddha? Could he reach that state while trapped in his sinful body?

“…That too is attachment.”

It was a ridiculous thought.

Attachment was the cause of all suffering. To master Buddhism, one had to give up all attachments. But wanting to reach enlightenment was also a form of attachment.

Those who looked could not find, and only those who were free could reach the path of Buddhism. How could a human ever walk that path?

‘Futile.’

Beopjeong slowly shook his head.

He knew he wasn’t meant to become a Buddha.

‘Rather than becoming a Buddha alone, I will make the whole world Buddhas. Even if I go to hell.’

To do that, everyone had to understand Buddhist teachings. Only by accepting and exploring Buddhism could they escape their difficult and painful lives.

But people who struggled to survive each day weren’t interested in Buddhist teachings. So, to lead them to the Pure Land, he needed something amazing, not just teachings.

Something so bright that no one could look away. Something that would make them want to walk that path.

Even the name of Shaolin, a famous Buddhist temple, was small compared to that. Everything he did was to spread the teachings of Buddha throughout the Central Plains, leading more people to the Pure Land.

It wasn’t that Buddha’s teachings needed Shaolin’s name. It was that Shaolin’s fame was needed to spread Buddha’s teachings far and wide.

Wasn’t everything for the sake of living beings?

‘But why is the path so hard?’

Beopjeong’s eyes closed tightly.

The world was too chaotic to share Buddha’s teachings. And he wasn’t strong enough to stop that chaos.

‘No one shows me the way. No one…’

Beopjeong reached out and held the wooden block again. A monk must never stop walking, even if he stumbles.

But then…

“Abbot, are you inside?”

Beopgye’s voice came from outside the door.

Beopjeong quietly set down the wooden block and sighed deeply. He didn’t even have time to calm his own mind.

“Come in.”

“Yes, Abbot.”

The door opened carefully, and Beopgye entered.

Beopjeong looked at him, and his face changed slightly. Beopgye looked tired, which made Beopjeong realize how he must look too.

“Abbot.”

Beopgye sat carefully before Beopjeong, constantly looking at his face.

“News from Hangzhou has arrived.”

Beopjeong closed his eyes. He had been curious about this news, but he seemed to know the result already. Beopgye’s face said it all.

“What happened?”

“…Hangzhou was almost destroyed, but the evil Demonic Sect, a group known for evil deeds, that attacked Hangzhou can no longer cause trouble and has left the Central Plains.”

Beopjeong had expected this much.

“What about the Hwasan Sect’s swordsmen who went to Hangzhou… with those fighters who don’t follow the usual rules?”

“That is…”

Beopgye carefully watched Beopjeong’s closed eyes before speaking cautiously.

“Two days ago… they returned to Hwasan without anyone getting hurt.”

Beopjeong felt many emotions at once.

There was a long, silent pause. Beopgye barely breathed. He waited for Beopjeong’s reaction.

Finally, Beopjeong opened his eyes and asked.

“Two days ago…?”

“…”

“Did you say two days ago?”

“A-Abbot.”

Beopgye shrank back from the cold feeling in Beopjeong’s eyes. The old Beopjeong never looked so cold, no matter how bad the news.

But lately, he sometimes gave off a scary feeling that made Beopgye tremble.

Beopjeong’s current feeling was stronger than ever before.

“If they returned two days ago, the Beggars’ Sect would have tracked them.”

“…”

“Why did this news only reach you now?”

“That’s… I also…”

Beopgye looked around cautiously, and Beopjeong’s eyes twitched.

“Nothing…”

He clenched the fabric of his robe on his thigh. Blue veins showed on his hand.

“Nothing is going right! Not one thing!”

“Abbot…”

“Yes.”

Beopjeong bit his lip and glared at Beopgye.

“Continue.”

“…”

“I said continue!”

“Yes, yes! Abbot!”

Beopgye flinched, lowered his head, and quickly continued.

“According to the news from the Beggars’ Sect… the Demonic Sect’s leader and his followers appeared in Hangzhou. The Hwasan disciples who went to Jiangnan, along with the Myriad Man House, Black Demon Fortress, and Green Forest, killed the Demonic Sect members…”

Beopgye mentioned the Four Evil Sects and glanced at Beopjeong before continuing.

“And the Overlord, Jang Ilso, and the Hwasan Sword Saint, Chung Myung, beheaded the leader together.”

“…”

“The remaining Demonic Sect members ran away, and the Beggars’ Sect tried to follow them, but the members disappeared without a trace.”

Beopgye swallowed hard and spoke with a dry voice.

“T-That is all.”

Beopjeong’s face was cold. Beopgye closed his eyes tightly.

‘Why…’

He had spent his life with Beopjeong.

As his Abbot and senior brother. He had always admired Beopjeong’s good character.

But why was Beopjeong showing him a side he didn’t know? Even though Beopjeong cared about Shaolin and the people of the world, why was he acting like this?

“The Overlord and the Hwasan Sword Saint beheaded the leader?”

“That is what the Beggars’ Sect said…”

“So.”

Beopjeong interrupted Beopgye and said coldly.

“Those who wanted to kill each other joined hands to defeat the enemy?”

“…”

“And that Overlord let the Hwasan swordsmen, who were trapped in Jiangnan after defeating the Demonic Sect, go?”

Beopgye couldn’t answer and just nodded.

He found it hard to believe, but he had no choice. They had no spies in Jiangnan, so they had to trust the Beggars’ Sect.

“Huh…. Haha.”

Beopjeong laughed sadly.

“I have misjudged Hwasan.”

“…Abbot?”

His face was twisted.

“I thought they were trying to do good. That’s why I felt sorry for them!”

“…”

“If they work with the evil Four Evil Sects for their own reasons, how are they different from them!”

“Abbot…. The situation…”

“Situation?”

Beopjeong glared at Beopgye.

“What situation are you talking about?”

“…”

“Did only they feel sad about the dying people? I couldn’t sleep at night because I was so upset!”

Thud!

Beopjeong’s fist slammed down on the tea table.

“But is that the right thing to do? Should those who claim to be righteous do bad things to get what they want?”

Beopgye lowered his head. Beopjeong continued, his face red.

“I’m not saying they aren’t kind! But don’t they know that this will make the Four Evil Sects stronger in Jiangnan?”

“T-That is…”

Beopjeong clenched his fist.

“Those foolish people have made Jang Ilso a hero. Now, he will be seen as a hero who saved Jiangnan from the Demonic Sect, which will help the Four Evil Sects. Why don’t they know that this will cause more people to suffer for longer?”

Beopgye looked at Beopjeong without answering. He didn’t know what to say.

“Everything is wrong! Everything is wrong! Hangzhou? Of course, it’s sad for those who died there. But what did those who rushed to Jiangnan achieve? Did they save the people of Hangzhou?”

“They could not…”

“When a rebellion happens, people have to run away. The damage would have been less, and the Four Evil Sects would have had to fight the Demonic Sect. The Demonic Sect and the Four Evil Sects could have destroyed each other if they had waited! Why did they rush in and cause more suffering!”

“…”

“Foolish! Foolish and foolish!”

Beopjeong gritted his teeth.

“Those who can’t see the big picture will praise them and criticize us! Again! Without knowing what they have done!”

“A-Ab…”

“This!”

Crash!

Beopjeong slammed his fist down, and the tea table broke into pieces.

Beopgye stared at Beopjeong with his mouth open.

“Hwasan… those bad people…”

A cold feeling came from Beopjeong’s eyes.