Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 362

“Chief! Terrible news!”

A man rushed into the room, pushing the door open so hard it banged against the wall.

The strong, sour smell of alcohol hung heavy in the air, making the newcomer wrinkle his nose. He quickly shook off the unpleasant smell and hurried to the figure slumped on the floor.

“Chief! Wake up! Chief!”

“Ugh, leave me alone!”

The man on the floor groaned, twisting his face in annoyance. Without even opening his eyes, he lashed out with a kick, catching the other man in the leg.

“Oof!”

Ignoring the grunt of pain, the newcomer shouted, his voice urgent. “Why are you making such a racket so early! My head is pounding!”

“Isn’t it because you were drinking all night, Chief!”

“If you know that, then get out!”

The kicked man, as if he was used to this, calmly got up and shook the man lying on the floor again.

“This isn’t the time for that! Please, get up!”

“…Did this guy eat something wrong?”

Normally, he would have quietly backed down by now, but the fact that he was making such a fuss meant something must have happened.

“Ugh.”

The man eventually clutched his head and slowly rose.

“Ugh… My head feels like it’s breaking.”

“You just need to get rid of the alcohol. If people hear that the mighty Red Serpent Blade, Yeop Pyeong, is suffering from a hangover, they will laugh!”

“Let them laugh. So, what’s the matter?”

“Jongnam has closed its gates.”

“Okay. Closed its gates… What?”

A fierce aura burst from the body of the one called the Red Serpent Blade. The air felt heavy, and Bang Seung instinctively took a step back.

“What did you just say?”

“Jongnam has closed its gates! They say they will prohibit external activities for at least a year.”

“…Are those guys crazy? Why all of a sudden?”

“Who knows why! The important thing is that they closed their gates.”

“Is that so?”

The Red Serpent Blade slowly rose.

“Open the window.”

“Yes!”

The man, Strange Fox, Bang Seung, quickly threw open the windows. The smell of alcohol in the room quickly disappeared.

“Heave-ho.”

The Red Serpent Blade, as if the groaning from a hangover just moments ago had been a lie, calmly walked over and sat in a chair.

“Tell me again in detail. Are you sure they’ve closed their gates?”

“Yes! I’m sure.”

The Red Serpent Blade, Yeop Pyeong, glared at Strange Fox, Bang Seung, with distrustful eyes.

“How many of the things you’ve said were certain have actually been right! If things go wrong this time, I’ll tear your mouth apart! You know that if we believe that and the Jongnam guys break their closure, we’ll be the only ones to suffer, right?”

“This time, I’m sure!”

“…Why?”

Bang Seung grinned and said.

“Right now, the Hwasan people are opening a branch for ordinary people in Seoan and taking in disciples.”

“…Huh? And the Jongnam secular families are just watching?”

“That’s what I’m saying! The main Hwasan guys have come, so they can’t even lift a finger! Which means!”

“…Jongnam has no intention of breaking their closure.”

“Yes!”

“Hoo.”

Yeop Pyeong stroked his roughly grown beard.

‘Those Jongnam guys who jump up even in their sleep at the mention of Hwasan are just watching Hwasan run wild in Seoan?’

If this is true, it means Jongnam has really closed its gates.

“Chief! This is an opportunity we can’t miss! Didn’t the Lord say that we must take over Seoan! That’s why we’ve been loitering around Seoan all this time.”

“That’s right.”

“Until now, Jongnam was too strong, so we couldn’t find an opening, but now that things have turned out this way, wouldn’t it be okay to be more aggressive?”

“Hmm.”

Yeop Pyeong quietly nodded and pondered.

‘The Lord is really too much.’

What kind of place is Seoan?

It’s like Jongnam’s home turf, one of the most powerful martial arts groups among the Nine Great Sects. How easy would it be to expand there?

Of course, territory isn’t divided as neatly as drawing lines, so the Lord’s words probably just meant to infiltrate appropriately.

But the problem was that those Jongnam guys showed a very strong focus on protecting their territory.

If you just stuck a foot in, they would rush in and bite like mad dogs, and there was no way to withstand it.

Bang Seung said that it was all because Jongnam still had memories of having their home taken away and being beaten up in the past, but that was none of his business.

Anyway.

“So, now is the perfect opportunity?”

“That’s right!”

“What if Jongnam lifts its closure later?”

“By then, we’ll have already benefited greatly, so what’s the problem? If they tell us to leave, we’ll just leave.”

“That’s true, but.”

Yeop Pyeong still clicked his tongue as if something was bothering him.

“But I heard the Hwasan people are there. I heard that Hwasan is quite a force these days?”

“They’re just the younger generation. How can they compare to you, Chief? If they hear that Red Serpent Blade, Yeop Pyeong, has come, they’ll piss their pants and run away.”

“Don’t flatter me, you idiot.”

“Yes, sir!”

Yeop Pyeong stopped stroking his chin and narrowed his eyes.

‘But he’s not wrong.’

It’s said that the younger generation of Hwasan are the best talents in the world, but they’re just the younger generation. How can he, the Red Serpent Unit of the Myriad Man Clan, one of the Five Overlords of the Divine Land, be afraid of those inexperienced fighters?

“Seoan, huh…”

Yeop Pyeong smiled, revealing his teeth.

“The Lord will be pleased. Prepare. We’re going to Seoan!”

“Yes!”

One of the Five Overlords of the Divine Land, the Myriad Man Clan’s Red Serpent Unit, began to move towards Seoan, aiming for Jongnam’s vacancy.

Unbeknownst to him, events were already unfolding in Seoan that would soon cross his path.

“…Amitabha.”

Hye-yeon, sitting in the reception room prepared in Hwayeongmun, quietly chanted the Buddha’s name. Even then, he glanced around.

“Drink.”

“Thank you.”

He held the teacup that Cheong-myeong handed him with both hands. And he quietly stared at Cheong-myeong.

“Haha.”

Hyun-young smiled lightly, as if he found this situation amusing.

“Yes. You said you already visited Hwasan?”

“Please lower your words, Elder. I am just a mere martial monk of Shaolin.”

“Is that alright?”

“Yes. That is right.”

Hyun-young smiled slightly and nodded.

‘He certainly learned well.’

After seeing only Hwasan’s disciples, who sold off all etiquette and were increasingly becoming like mountain bandits, seeing a Shaolin disciple felt like a slight eye-opening experience.

Of course, that doesn’t mean he liked Hye-yeon.

“Yes. Anyway, you said you already visited Hwasan?”

“Yes. I met the Sect Leader and heard his words. He said that what I want is here, so I should seek permission here. Amitabha.”

Watching Hye-yeon quietly chant the Buddha’s name, Cheong-myeong narrowed his eyes and asked.

“Well, getting straight to the point. Why did you come?”

“Benefactor.”

Then, Hye-yeon’s gaze was fixed directly on Cheong-myeong.

“I wish to stay here for a while.”

“Huh?”

Cheong-myeong tilted his head.

“Why?”

“Amitabha.”

Hye-yeon quietly chanted the Buddha’s name instead of answering immediately.

In fact, there were many things he wanted to say, but saying those words in front of them would be a disgrace to his sect.

“Because I believed my path lies here.”

“What’s he saying?”

“…Yes?”

Chung Myung frowned deeply. His eyebrows pulled together, and his mouth turned down.

“These monks!” he grumbled. “They talk in puzzles! Can’t they just speak clearly? Ugh!”

“Ha ha ha!” Hyun Young laughed. He quickly put a hand over Chung Myung’s mouth.

“Please forgive him,” Hyun Young said, smiling kindly at Hye-yeon. “Chung Myung is… well, he says what he thinks.”

“I-It’s okay,” Hye-yeon stammered.

Cold sweat ran down Hye-yeon’s neck. He felt a chill despite the warm day.

‘He’s even worse than he was during the martial arts competition.’

He’d thought the man was simply angry then, but now it seemed this was just his usual way.

Just then, Hyun Young spoke.

“However, I also find it hard to understand. You said your path is here?”

Hye-yeon quietly nodded.

“Yes. I saw and felt a lot during the martial arts tournament. And… I realized that even my own monastery, which I thought was completely good, is not entirely so.”

“Hmm.”

Hyun Young nodded, looking serious.

“I felt that I couldn’t go any further without fixing this problem. So, I want to watch and learn here, to find out what path I should take.”

“Wait, what are you planning to do?”

“…Watch and learn…?”

“Here?”

“…”

Hyun Young looked very confused. Hye-yeon tilted his head, also confused.

Was what he said so strange?

“…So…”

Hyun Young glanced at Chung Myung, then looked back at Hye-yeon.

“Who are you planning to learn from?”

“…”

Chung Myung was proudly sticking out his belly. Hyun Young’s face seemed to scream, ‘Is this guy crazy?’ Behind them, the disciples of Mount Hua whispered to each other.

Hye-yeon was flustered by their unexpected reaction. He looked back and forth between them all.

‘Did I say something wrong?’

Just then, Baek Cheon cleared his throat softly and cautiously spoke.

“Um… Hye-yeon Monk.”

“Yes. Please, speak, Benefactor Baek Cheon.”

“Why… No, what do you hope to learn here?”

Hye-yeon took a small, steadying breath.

“Because I felt righteousness.”

“Righteousness?”

Baek Cheon repeated, and Hye-yeon quietly nodded.

“The path of Taoism may be the same, but walking the path of Buddhism is like fighting endless temptations. It’s not easy to stay on the right path when the world has so many problems. I am just a monk who struggles and makes mistakes.”

“…”

“However, I felt a strong will in Chung Myung Daojang. So, I want to see for myself and learn how someone can have such a strong determination.”

“Hrmmm.”

Chung Myung stuck out his belly even further. Baek Cheon’s face twisted, turning red and then purple.

‘If you don’t think, you won’t waver, you blockhead!’

That’s not a good thing!

A person should look around, think about things, and even waver a little!

In Baek Cheon’s eyes, Hye-yeon looked like he was happily carrying firewood to throw himself into a fire.

Just because life is hard, why walk into hell?

Hyun Young, who had been listening, asked again.

“Did the Abbot of your monastery allow this?”

“He didn’t say yes, but he didn’t say no. Buddhist rules say you must fix yourself first. Even if the Abbot tried to stop me, I couldn’t change my mind.”

Chung Myung clearly picked his ear.

“Speak clearly!”

“…I just came. He tried to stop me, though.”

“Yes. That sounds much better.”

Chung Myung smiled happily.

However, the disciples of Mount Hua felt uneasy watching this.

‘Is it starting already?’

‘That monk isn’t right in the head. What does he expect to learn from someone like that?’

‘Another one bites the dust.’

Hyun Young watched and then spoke.

“So… you want to stay at Mount Hua and learn something?”

“That’s right, Elder.”

“The Sect Leader told you to come here and ask for permission?”

“Yes. He said that the permission of the person I want to learn from is most important.”

“Hmm.”

Hyun Young looked at Chung Myung.

“What do you think we should do?”

“Well, it’s simple. He came here on his own and says he’ll work hard, so there’s no reason to refuse him.”

‘Work hard?’

Hye-yeon tilted his head.

‘Did I say that?’

But before he could ask, Chung Myung walked over and put an arm around his shoulder, looking completely kind.

“You’ve come to the right place. You’ve come to the right place.”

“…”

“Kuh. This is fate. If you know someone, they’ll come looking to work hard… I mean, you’ll become good friends. Right?”

“Y-Yes, that’s right…”

“But!”

“…”

Chung Myung smiled slightly. He looked straight at Hye-yeon and said,

“There’s no free lunch at Mount Hua. You have to work for your food and a place to sleep.”

“Amitabha. That’s only right. Even the Shaolin don’t feed those who don’t work.”

“Oh, really?”

Chung Myung smiled even more and patted Hye-yeon’s shoulder.

“Then it’s simple. You just have to do some work to stay here. No problem!”

“You’re giving me permission?”

“Permission? We don’t need permission between us.”

“Ah… Amitabha! Thank you!”

Hye-yeon’s face lit up.

He hadn’t planned anything, but he didn’t expect to be accepted so easily. He was ready to beg for ten days or even a month if they refused, but it was easier than he thought.

‘This place is vast and open-minded.’

If a disciple of Mount Hua asked the Shaolin for something like this, how would they react?

Hye-yeon was surprised that Mount Hua was such an open-minded sect.

“Then what work should I do?”

“Ah. It’s nothing much. Something very simple. Something you’ll find very easy.”

“If it’s easy…?”

Chung Myung chuckled.

“Don’t worry. You’ll find out soon. We’ll start right away.”

“…”

Chung Myung looked mischievously happy. Hye-yeon smiled awkwardly, clueless.

The next morning.

Hye-yeon stared at the sky, looking empty.

His face was red, and his eyes were full of tears.

“Listen up! The champion of the martial arts tournament! The greatest rising star! It’s Hye-yeon Monk of the Shaolin! Everyone! If you join Hwayoung Gate now, Hye-yeon Monk will personally teach you Shaolin Kung Fu! Shaolin Kung Fu, the best martial art!”

Instead of flower petals, plum blossom sword energy flew everywhere.

The crowd roared with excitement.

“Is that really Hye-yeon Monk of the Shaolin?”

“They wouldn’t lie about that, would they?”

“Good heavens. Why is a Shaolin monk teaching martial arts at Mount Hua’s school? What’s going on?”

“Who cares? He’s offering to teach, so let’s learn!”

“I’m going to learn, even if I have to start with the children! Shaolin in Xi’an!”

Surrounded by the loud cheers, Hye-yeon closed his eyes.

‘Oh, Buddha.’

He felt that something was going wrong, but it was too late.