Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 1759

Hwang Jong-ui stared blankly at the young man for a long while.

He felt completely drawn in by the young man’s calm eyes, like he couldn’t look away.

“Guild Leader,” someone said hesitantly.

“Ah.”

Hwang Jong-ui managed to regain his scattered mind after hearing the voices around him.

‘I’m acting foolishly.’

He was the leader of the Eunha Merchant Guild and had met many famous people. In Shanxi alone, there were Hyun Jong and Jongli Gok, who discussed the world, and the Mount Hua Sword Master, who had an even stronger feeling of power than them.

But the feeling he got from this young man was different. It was impossible to compare them.

Just looking at him made his heart flutter.

“Excuse me…”

Hwang Jong-ui bowed quickly, looking at the young man with eyes that were still not calm.

“I’m sorry to ask this question, but I need to be sure.”

Hwang Jong-ui paused, took a deep breath, and then asked:

“Are you the master of Potala Palace, the king of Tibet, or the great teacher, the Dalai Lama?”

Hearing his question, the people around him widened their eyes, shocked.

The young man simply shook his head quietly. Hwang Jong-ui didn’t understand and held his breath. Then, Banseon Lama spoke calmly.

“My teacher says that the title of Holiness is too much. Just Lama is enough, especially since you are not followers of the Palace’s teachings.”

Hwang Jong-ui inhaled sharply.

‘He really is the Dalai Lama…’

Yes, it was a pointless question. If this person wasn’t the Dalai Lama, who else could he be? There couldn’t be two such people in the world.

Cold sweat formed on Hwang Jong-ui’s forehead.

“Please forgive me for being rude, but as a simple merchant, I must ask.”

It was a statement filled with courtesy. As a merchant, he was used to humbling himself. But this time, it was sincere respect for the Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama didn’t react to Hwang Jong-ui’s words but stared at him with the same gaze.

Hwang Jong-ui was embarrassed but realized he hadn’t answered the Dalai Lama’s question.

“Ah, Taoist Chung Myung is not here right now.”

Then Banseon Lama asked:

“Isn’t this where the Mount Hua Sect is located?”

“That’s right. The Mount Hua Sect is on Mount Hua. But right now, the disciples of Mount Hua are staying at the Wudang Sect in Hubei.”

“Hubei, you say…”

Banseon Lama frowned. He didn’t know much about the Central Plains, but he knew Hubei wasn’t close.

“Do you know when they might return?”

Hearing this, Hwang Jong-ui realized they didn’t know the situation in the Central Plains.

“The Heavenly Union, which includes Mount Hua, is at war with the Four Evil Alliances. Depending on the war, it will take at least a month.”

“A month, you say…”

Banseon Lama was lost in thought. The Dalai Lama put his palms together and bowed deeply to Hwang Jong-ui.

“Thank you.”

“Yes? Ah… No, it’s nothing!”

The young man, who had been looking at Hwang Jong-ui with a deep and thoughtful gaze, turned. Banseon Lama asked:

“Teacher, are you going to leave?”

“I must.”

“There might be a way to wait here.”

The Dalai Lama shook his head.

“Time can be short or long. There is no time to wait now.”

Banseon Lama nodded and put his palms together to Hwang Jong-ui.

“We have caused you trouble.”

“Wait a moment! Are you going to Wudang Mountain now?”

“Since my teacher says so, I am following.”

“No…”

Hwang Jong-ui was embarrassed.

Regardless of how great the Dalai Lama was, he didn’t seem to know martial arts. If the Dalai Lama hadn’t learned martial arts, going to Junghyeon, where anything could happen, would be dangerous.

“Hubei is at war. It’s not a good choice to go there now.”

When Hwang Jong-ui tried to stop him, Banseon Lama smiled.

“I am grateful that you are worried about a foreigner. But we cannot avoid danger just because it is there.”

“Ah…”

Banseon Lama put his palms together for the last time. Hwang Jong-ui also put his palms together.

“Then.”

The two men went outside.

Hwang Jong-ui was staring at the door when it happened.

“Guild Leader, was that person the Dalai Lama, the king of Tibet? The Great Living Buddha?”

“It seems so.”

“Goodness. Such a young boy…”

The members of the Eunha Merchant Guild were in disbelief. When you say ‘Great Living Buddha,’ you think of an elderly monk. But the Dalai Lama looked so young that it was surprising.

But there was no doubt. It was impossible not to be convinced just by looking at him.

That young man was called the Great Living Buddha.

“This is not the time for this!”

“Yes?”

“Send a letter to Wudang immediately. Did those two bring any companions?”

“There were only those two.”

“Escorts! Find people to escort those two, right now!”

“Are you talking about us?”

“Move right now!”

Hwang Jong-ui shouted, unlike his usual self.

It was the Great Living Buddha. What if the Dalai Lama had a problem while heading to Hubei?

Hwang Jong-ui wouldn’t be able to handle it. He couldn’t even imagine it.

“I will prepare right now.”

The people around him were startled by Hwang Jong-ui’s energy and moved quickly. Hwang Jong-ui slumped down in his chair, feeling exhausted.

“He’s looking for Taoist Chung Myung…”

Only then did a question arise.

Why is the Dalai Lama trying to meet Taoist Chung Myung? It doesn’t seem related to the Alliance.

Could it be that he came all the way from Tibet just to meet Chung Myung? Why?

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t find an answer. Hwang Jong-ui licked his lips and stared in the direction the Dalai Lama had gone.

Banseon Lama carefully called out to the Dalai Lama.

“Teacher.”

“Teacher.”

There was no answer.

“It will be a dangerous road. Are you still going to go?”

Still, only silence returned.

His teacher had enlightenment, but his body was fragile. That was why Banseon Lama worried.

What if this journey harmed his teacher?

“Teacher. What are you going to do when you meet him? Is it something I shouldn’t ask?”

Finally, the Dalai Lama turned to Banseon Lama. The moment he saw his eyes, Banseon Lama felt like his breath was stopping.

He had been serving the Dalai Lama for a long time, but his respect hadn’t changed. The Buddhist path was in those eyes.

The Dalai Lama spoke.

“It is not something I shouldn’t know.”

“Then…”

“But you will not understand even if you hear it.”

Banseon Lama closed his mouth.

He couldn’t compare himself to the Dalai Lama, but he was respected as the assistant of the Dharma King. What was it that even he couldn’t understand?

“Teacher.”

“It’s just painful…”

The Dalai Lama looked into the distance.

“A world full of suffering.”

Banseon Lama pressed down on his heart and put his palms together.

“Is it something that must be stopped?”

“It is something that cannot be stopped.”

“Then is it something that must be changed?”

“It is something that cannot be changed either. It will just flow as it is.”

Banseon Lama’s eyes were filled with questions.

The world flows within cause and effect. But cause and effect doesn’t mean everything is predetermined. It can be changed depending on effort.

Believing that is the Buddhist law, but even the Dalai Lama can’t do anything about it.

Banseon Lama’s question pointed to a different point.

“If that is the case, if it is something that even you cannot change or stop, then why are you in such a hurry?”

“…”

“If it can only flow as it is, wouldn’t it be impossible to do anything even if you hurry?”

“It does not change. But that doesn’t mean it is the same. Even if the end is the same, there is a difference between knowing and acting and not knowing and acting.”

Banseon Lama was silent. It was hard to say. The Dalai Lama said, still looking into the distance:

“That is why I must go. To tell someone what he needs to know.”

“Is this for him?”

The Dalai Lama closed his eyes for a moment, deeply silent as if in pain. Then he opened his eyes.

“Teacher…”

At the same time, Banseon Lama’s expression hardened. Tears were flowing from the Dalai Lama’s eyes.

“It is not for him. It will never be for him. It is purely…”

“…”

“For all people who suffer.”

If that is the case, why are you crying, Teacher?

Banseon Lama couldn’t ask the question. Because he wouldn’t understand. Because it was something he couldn’t know.

“I will serve you, Teacher.”

He just believed that what his teacher was trying to do was good.

The Dalai Lama began to move again.

The one who walks first and the one who follows. The two people continued straight.

Towards the one who does not want to face them.

And so, they walked towards an unknown future.