Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1162

“Abbot, this is⋯⋯”

Beopjeong walked towards the firmly closed main gate of the manor without any hesitation.

Jongri-hyung hurried to keep up, anxiously trying to stop him, his face showing his mixed feelings.

“Abbot, I told you that just wasting time was meaningless. But even so, this is too much⋯⋯”

“Amitabha.”

Beopjeong softly chanted the Buddha’s name, turned to Jongri-hyung, and smiled gently.

“Elder Jongri.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you, Elder. Your words have opened my eyes.”

“⋯⋯What do you mean by that?”

“You told me to consider the best possible outcome.”

“Yes, that’s right. I certainly said that, but⋯⋯.”

Beopjeong nodded slowly.

“Thanks to those words, I now know what I must do, what the most righteous path is.”

“B-But, Abbot.”

“Righteousness⋯⋯. Yes, that’s exactly what righteousness means. I don’t know what I was thinking before. They say a small mistake can grow and control your whole life. I think I was trapped by a wrong idea. Thanks to you, I’ve come to my senses as if splashed with cold water.”

Jongri-hyung wiped the sweat from his brow.

“Abbot⋯⋯. I can’t understand what you are planning. But no matter how great your intentions may be, visiting them so suddenly in their home is⋯⋯”

“What could be wrong with it?”

“If it’s such an urgent matter, why not simply call them here? I’m worried people might misunderstand if they hear that the Abbot of Shaolin visited the Cheonwu Alliance.”

“Haha. It’s nothing like that.”

“Yes?”

Beopjeong smiled gently and shook his head.

“Elder Hyun Jong visited me once before, so it’s only right that I visit him this time.”

“H-How is that right? Our positions are different, and our statuses are different.”

“Well, I don’t particularly mind. I even think it’s good that I’m staying so close to them. I can meet them quickly as soon as I decide to.”

“⋯⋯.”

“Don’t worry. Everything will be alright.”

A sigh escaped from Jongri-hyung’s lips.

“May I ask what you plan to do?”

“Why would that be hard to answer? I plan to offer them a hand.”

“Yes? Abbot, haven’t we already gone too far with the Cheonwu Alliance to turn back?”

“It’s still possible to turn back.”

Jongri-hyung stared at Beopjeong, confused.

“Then what will you do if they reject the offer?”

“That won’t happen.”

“If, by any chance⋯⋯.”

“Hmm, I don’t know. If they are the people I know, they wouldn’t refuse, but if that were to happen⋯⋯”

Beopjeong’s eyes darkened slightly.

“No, that won’t happen. You don’t need to worry.”

Jongri-hyung shook his head and followed behind Beopjeong.

‘What on earth is he planning?’

The man who had been groaning in his room for days suddenly rushed out and headed straight for the Cheonwu Alliance without looking back. Strangely, Beopjeong’s face looked more refreshed than ever before.

‘Did he really have a sudden moment of understanding or something?’

Wouldn’t it be frustrating if he didn’t answer even if asked?

‘All I can do is watch.’

The guards at the main gate were flustered, unsure of what to do when they saw Beopjeong approaching. It was understandable. How could they have imagined the Abbot of Shaolin would suddenly visit?

Luckily, they recognized Beopjeong from seeing him once before.

“Elder⋯⋯. No, is the Alliance Lord inside?”

“W-We greet the Abbot.”

“Haha. There’s no need to be so nervous. I’ve just come to share some tea.”

“Y-Your message has been sent. Please, come in!”

“Did you get the order to let me in?”

“T-That’s not it, but…”

“Then I’ll wait here. It wouldn’t be right for a guest to enter without the host’s permission.”

“Th-That is⋯⋯.”

The guards exchanged glances with trembling eyes, unsure how to answer.

But then, the inner door opened on its own.

Clang!

Hyun Jong, looking flustered, opened the door quickly. Seeing Beopjeong and Jongri-hyung standing in front of the door, he took a hurried breath and spoke.

“⋯⋯Welcome, Abbot.”

“Alliance Lord. Have you been well?”

Hyun Jong clasped his hands deeply in greeting as Beopjeong slowly returned the gesture.

“If you had told me you were coming, I would have come out to greet you. Why such a sudden visit without any notice⋯⋯.”

“I had a sudden thought. Once I decided, there was no time for polite rules. I apologize, Alliance Lord.”

“Not at all. It’s a great pleasure.”

“The one who came with me is Elder Jongri of the Southern Edge Sect. You know each other, right?”

“I am Hyun Jong of Mount Hua. It’s really good to meet you, Elder Jongri of the Southern Edge Sect.”

“No, Alliance Lord. The honor is all mine.”

Hyun Jong smiled brightly, but his eyes were still suspicious as he looked at Beopjeong.

The last time he had seen him, Beopjeong had shown his emotions openly. But Beopjeong seemed different now. Instead, he was calm and gentle, like when they first met.

“Please, come inside.”

“Then I will.”

Beopjeong followed Hyun Jong into the manor.

Beopjeong, who had been following a step behind Hyun Jong, came out into the courtyard and faced those who were waiting for him.

“It’s been a while, everyone.”

Beopjeong spoke with a gentle smile. Some frowned slightly, looking unhappy, and some nodded, but most were hiding their bad feelings.

“The Lord of the Tang Family is here too.”

“Isn’t this where I should be? It’s been a while, Abbot.”

“And the Young Lord.”

“⋯⋯Nice to meet you.”

Maybe because their last meeting hadn’t been so good, Namgung Dowi wasn’t as polite as usual.

“And these are?”

“Yes. These are the Palace Lord of the Beast Palace and the Palace Lord of the Ice Palace.”

“Ah.”

Beopjeong smiled gently.

“It’s a pleasure to meet such important people.”

“I am Maeng So.”

“I am Seo, Seol So-baek.”

This time, Beopjeong didn’t clasp his hands but just bowed his head slightly.

Beopjeong looked up and turned to one person in the back. As if waiting for it, a voice burst out.

“What’s he doing crawling back here again, looking for something to get for free from them⋯⋯. Mmph! Mmph! Mmmph!”

Baek Cheon, Yoon Jong, and Jo Gul gagged Chung Myung at the same time.

For the first time, Beopjeong sighed.

“You haven’t changed a bit.”

“Mmph! Mmph!”

Chung Myung, held by Yuisul and Tang Soso, shouted something with a red face, but no one could hear him.

Beopjeong shook his head, turned to the others, and spoke gently.

“I would love to talk with all of you, but I’m here on private business, so I hope you understand that I can’t stay long.”

“Ah, no.”

“You must be busy.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Beopjeong looked at Hyun Jong.

“Alliance Lord, I would like to speak with you separately for a moment.”

“As you wish, Abbot.”

Beopjeong looked at Tang Gun-ak.

“And the Lord of the Tang Family as well.”

“I will.”

As the others besides Hyun Jong and Tang Gun-ak were about to step back.

“Young Lord Namgung, you should come too.”

“⋯⋯Are you talking about me?”

“That’s right.”

Namgung Dowi nodded, looking stiff.

“I understand.”

Beopjeong bowed his head towards Maeng So and Seol So-baek.

“I should have invited both of you, but what I’m going to talk about is a sensitive matter within the Central Plains, so I can’t ask you to stay. Please forgive me.”

“Don’t worry about it. I understand.”

“Yes, it’s alright.”

Beopjeong smiled gently and looked at Chung Myung, who was still struggling and making noises, with a strange look.

“You should come in too, and the other Mount Hua disciples with you as well.”

“⋯⋯Are you talking about us?”

“If you aren’t there, who will stop the Sword Demon of Mount Hua from trying to beat me to death?”

“Wh-What do you mean⋯⋯.”

“Haha!”

Jo Gul’s face turned red at Beopjeong’s joke.

“But⋯⋯ it seems like one important person is missing?”

“Yes?”

Then Yuisul pointed towards Beon Chung.

“There.”

“Huh?”

Yoon Jong, who had been looking in the direction Yuisul was pointing, frowned.

“⋯⋯What on earth are you doing there, Green Forest King?”

Im So-byeong, who had been squatting behind Beon Chung’s broad back with his head covered, quickly looked up, surprised.

“H-Haha⋯⋯. I am⋯⋯.”

“Hmm. So you are the Green Forest King.”

Beopjeong smiled gently and looked at Im So-byeong.

“How about it? Will you come?”

“Hiiiik!”

“Hmm?”

“I, I was wrong! I’m sorry! I won’t do bad things again!”

“⋯⋯.”

“I, I didn’t want to become a bandit⋯⋯!”

“That Green Forest⋯⋯.”

“Aaaaargh!”

Im So-byeong screamed and ran away behind the main building.

Everyone stared blankly at the scene. Even Beopjeong opened his mouth and blinked.

Yoon Jong, confused, asked Baek Cheon as if he was speechless.

“Why⋯⋯ why is he like that?”

“Hmm.”

Baek Cheon scratched his cheek, embarrassed.

“I heard from him that if you gathered all the dead bandits killed by Shaolin monks, you could fill half the Yangtze River.”

“⋯⋯.”

“He hates Namgung, but he’s scared of Shaolin. It’s in his blood, and he can’t help it.”

“Does that make sense?”

“Only those who are scared of bald heads survive and continue the Green Forest line, but I don’t really know what that means.”

“Then why is he like that to Monk Hye-yeon?”

“It’s normal for a monk who leaves the temple to become a bandit, so he’s not scared.”

“⋯⋯He’s not a defrocked monk.”

Beopjeong, looking at Im So-byeong’s empty seat, shook his head, bewildered. Hyun Jong guided him, embarrassed.

“Please, come this way.”

“Yes. Thank you, Alliance Lord.”

As the people who were supposed to attend headed inside, Seol So-baek, who was left in the courtyard, tilted her head.

“It seems a little different from what I’ve heard.”

“What do you mean?”

Seol So-baek frowned slightly at Maeng So’s words.

“From what I’ve heard, he seemed like a very bad person⋯⋯.”

“Seeing him like this, he seems better than I thought?”

“⋯⋯Yes. Does it just seem that way?”

“No. Maybe that monk Beopjeong is as good as he seems.”

“⋯⋯Yes? Then why⋯⋯?”

Maeng So slowly crossed his arms and stared at the door that Beopjeong had entered, muttering quietly.

“Sometimes, a righteous saint can be more frightening than a villain.”

Seol So-baek tilted her head, finding it hard to understand.