Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 364

“Abbot!”

The Shaolin elder, Beopgye, looked at Beopjeong with a worried face.

“What is it?”

“…Shouldn’t we bring Hye-yeon back?”

Beopjeong calmly brought the teacup to his lips. The scent of grain from the tea gently filled the air.

“Bring him back, you say. Yes, that wouldn’t be so bad.”

“How can you be so calm? Hye-yeon is a talent who should lead Shaolin. He has gone to Mount Hua, a secular place!”

“Then, what should I say to bring him back?”

“…Yes?”

Beopjeong smiled and looked at Beopgye.

“Should I tell him he can’t find his Buddhist path at Mount Hua?”

“That’s…”

Beopgye seemed to lose his words. Beopjeong spoke softly.

“The Buddha is everywhere in the world, not just in old scriptures or halls. Wherever people live, there is the Buddha. Isn’t this what Shaolin teaches?”

It was an undeniable point. Beopgye paused before answering.

“It is.”

“Shaolin taught Hye-yeon that way. How can Shaolin deny its own teachings?”

“However, Abbot…”

Beopjeong shook his head.

“It is holding on too tightly.”

“…”

He turned slightly and continued.

“Hye-yeon is not a child who needs to be taught. Even Buddha learned on his own, and Bodhidharma created his own Buddhism. If Hye-yeon is truly talented, he will find his own Buddhism even there.”

“…In Mount Hua?”

“Yes. Mount Hua.”

Beopjeong’s eyes turned sharp and cold like ice.

“Do not look down on Mount Hua. They have achieved much in a short time. Whatever you feel about them, you must admit they are a very impressive group.”

Beopgye sighed and nodded.

“Don’t worry too much. Mount Hua’s teachings will not harm Hye-yeon. Martial arts take effort. The honesty of Mount Hua will allow Hye-yeon to learn a lot.”

“…I didn’t understand your deep intentions, Abbot.”

“Haha.”

Beopjeong smiled gently.

‘I am curious, though.’

He wondered what Hye-yeon would be like after meeting Chung Myung.

The thought made Beopjeong’s heart flutter.

‘By now, they must be comparing their martial arts.’

It was clear that Chung Myung was also an excellent martial artist.

“Amitabha.”

Beopjeong softly chanted the Buddha’s name.

‘Grow more and return.’

More.

“Eheheheheheheh! Drink! Drink!”

“Now, Hwayeong Gate is a great success! Hundreds of disciples have joined today!”

“This is so much! Oh my goodness!”

Hye-yeon tightly closed his eyes.

‘This is a den of devils.’

He was seeing things he had never imagined.

Mount Hua and Hwayeong Gate disciples were all mixed together. They were drinking and making a mess.

‘What on earth is this…?’

Hye-yeon had been taught that self-discipline was the way to Buddhism. What he was seeing was shocking.

‘Are all other sects like this?’

That couldn’t be.

Even Taoist temples like Wudang, and places like Jongnam and the Five Great Families, had strict rules.

Second and third-generation disciples, disciples from families, and even elders were all partying together. You couldn’t see this anywhere else.

“Amitabha. Amitabha. Amitabha.”

His heart was pounding. Hye-yeon chanted the Buddha’s name to calm himself.

“Kheu! Have a drink!”

“Senior Brother! You must take my cup too!”

“Oh my, Sect Leader! Congratulations!”

But his heart would not calm down.

‘Is this what it’s like in the secular world?’

Hye-yeon had lived his entire life in Shaolin. He couldn’t understand this at all.

Then, someone called out loudly to Hye-yeon from behind.

“Hey, Monk! What are you doing standing there like a statue?”

“Yes?”

“Drink up! Celebrate with us!”

“…”

Hye-yeon blinked his wide, innocent eyes at Chung Myung, who was holding out a glass of alcohol.

“Benefactor, I am a Buddhist monk.”

“So? What’s that got to do with it?”

“Well, monks… we don’t drink alcohol.”

“What? Every monk I’ve ever met could hold their liquor better than most!”

“Yes? Who?”

Chung Myung chuckled.

‘Who else but your grandmasters.’

Chung Myung had been the Plum Blossom Sword Saint. Shaolin and Mount Hua had a good relationship back then.

Shaolin was a little wary of Mount Hua, which was growing quickly. But Wudang was there to stop Mount Hua, and Mount Hua wanted to beat up the Wudang guys anyway.

If the Demonic Sect hadn’t risen, things might have been different. But that didn’t happen.

In any case.

– Have a drink, Taoist.

– Is it okay for a monk to drink alcohol?

– It’s strange to hear that from a Taoist who’s chugging from a bottle.

– It’s okay for Mount Hua to drink.

– A monk can do what a Taoist can do. Have a drink.

– A corrupt monk.

The Shaolin monks also drank alcohol.

The rules were strict, so only high-ranking monks could drink. But as their rank increased, they tended to become quite indulgent.

“Anyway, take the glass.”

“Amitabha. I am fine.”

“How foolish.”

“…Yes?”

Chung Myung stared straight at Hye-yeon and said.

“Didn’t you leave Shaolin because you wanted to find something in the lives of others?”

“That is correct.”

“Look.”

Chung Myung gestured around.

Everyone was exchanging drinks and getting drunk.

“This is the life you wanted to see.”

“…”

“Life doesn’t change just by watching. It only has meaning when you jump in. You came here to find a path that wasn’t in the Buddhist scriptures. Are you just going to watch from the side?”

Chung Myung poured a drink into a cup and gave it to Hye-yeon.

“Drink,” Chung Myung said.

Hye-yeon looked at the cup.

“Sir, I…”

“I don’t know much about Buddha’s teachings,” Chung Myung said, “but maybe what you are looking for is right here.”

Hye-yeon looked quietly at the cup.

Hye-yeon thought, ‘Rules are very important.’

But maybe, just maybe, some things are more important than rules.

If he stayed true to himself, would one small cup of drink really be so bad? Would it be just like any other drink, in the end?’

Hye-yeon lifted the cup slowly, like it was a very important thing.

He closed his eyes tightly and drank it all at once. *Glug.*

“…Huh?” Hye-yeon opened his eyes wide and stared at the empty cup.

He looked a little surprised.

“How is it? Strong, right?” Chung Myung asked, expecting a reaction.

“…No,” Hye-yeon said slowly.

“It just tastes sweet.”

“Huh?” Chung Myung blinked.

Hye-yeon tilted his head, looking confused.

“It tastes like honey water.”

Chung Myung stared at him, speechless.

He looked down at the bottle in his hand. *’This is baijiu,’* he thought. *’Baijiu is supposed to be very strong!’* How could this monk say it’s sweet, drinking it for the first time?

“It’s not strong at all?” Chung Myung asked, surprised.

“I don’t know what you mean by ‘strong’,” Hye-yeon replied.

“…Have another cup then.” Chung Myung poured more drink.

Hye-yeon tilted his head again and drank it quickly.

“Krah!”

“How is it *now*?” Chung Myung asked, watching him closely.

“This is amazing!” Hye-yeon exclaimed.

“It feels cool going down, sweet on my tongue, and warm in my stomach! It’s like… like I can feel everything in the world with just this one drink!”

“They say the true teachings are not just in books,” Hye-yeon said, his eyes shining.

“I think I understand that now! If I hadn’t tasted this drink, I would never have known something like this exists! Hearing about something is not as good as seeing it, seeing it is not as good as trying it, and trying it is not as good as enjoying it!”

“So, you’re saying you can drink a lot?” Chung Myung asked, a little surprised and amused.

He chuckled. *’A monk from strict Shaolin who can drink like this? And Hye-yeon of all people!’* he thought.

“Stop talking and drink more,” Chung Myung said, grinning.

“You’re making this much more fun.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Hye-yeon said, smiling back.

“Please, have a drink with me too.”

“Haha!” Chung Myung laughed.

“A monk who likes to drink? You’ll go places!”

As Chung Myung and Hye-yeon started drinking together, the other Mount Hua disciples, who had been watching from a distance, slowly came closer.

The first to step forward was none other than Jo Gul.

“Venerable Monk! Venerable Monk, do you remember me?”

Hye-yeon, recognizing Jo Gul, gave a respectful bow, looking apologetic.

“Of course. Disciple Jo Gul.”

“Haha! As expected! Then please, accept my drink as well!”

Hye-yeon accepted the drink from Jo Gul and downed it coolly, and then a bottle abruptly appeared before him.

“Ah!”

“Take it.”

“Disciple Yu Yiseol!”

Hye-yeon’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Yu Yiseol.

How deeply her sword had impressed him.

Still, her sword, which had defeated him in a fight, was firmly etched in his mind.

“I will offer you a cup as well.”

Hye-yeon accepted Yu Yiseol’s bottle and poured it into her cup.

Yu Yiseol stared silently at the filled cup before downing it in one go.

Soon, the perfectly empty cup was placed on the table with a thud.

“I’ll win next time.”

“I will always be looking forward to it.”

Many others also approached Hye-yeon, offering him drinks and receiving them without hesitation.

To them, Hye-yeon was both a fascinating person and someone they wanted to befriend.

Hye-yeon’s face began to turn redder and redder.

His face, usually flushed with shyness, was now reddened with intoxication.

“Krah! Our monk can really hold his liquor!”

“Keep it coming! Keep it coming!”

“Wow. It’s been a while since I’ve seen someone drink as well as Chung Myung.”

“Here, have another cup!”

“The liquor goes down! Glug! Glug! Glug glug!”

“You don’t waste liquor with internal energy.

You’ll be punished if you waste liquor you paid for!”

The disciples of Mount Hua chuckled and fed Hye-yeon drinks.

And Hye-yeon, without knowing any better, happily accepted them.

Baek Cheon, who had been watching the situation from a step behind, glanced at Chung Myung, who had retreated to the back, and said.

“Shouldn’t we stop them?”

“Why?”

“…At this rate, this might become a problem?”

Chung Myung grinned wickedly.

“Let them be.

People become better friends when they see each other being silly, don’t you think?”

“…”

Baek Cheon shook his head.

And the situation he feared unfolded in less than an hour.

“Hee hee hee! I feel great!”

“…”

Hye-yeon, who had loosened his robes, staggered from side to side, his bald head completely flushed red with intoxication.

“Aigo! Our monk is having a good time!”

“Another cup! Another cup!”

And the disciples of Mount Hua, who had become equally drunk while feeding Hye-yeon drinks, surrounded him, laughing gleefully in a half-crazed state.

Baek Cheon clicked his tongue as he watched the scene.

‘How is this a scene of Shaolin and Mount Hua getting along?’

It’s a gathering to solidify the friendship between the Sungsan group of rowdy friends and the Mount Hua group of rowdy friends!

It was so obvious that if there was a pig hanging in the back, no one could deny it.

“Chung Myung, we really should stop them… Chung Myung?”

Baek Cheon turned his head to look for Chung Myung, who had disappeared from his side.

“…”

Chung Myung was shoving a bottle of liquor into the mouth of Wi Lipsan, the leader of the Hwayeong Gate.

Even Hyun Young was cackling with laughter beside him.

“…”

Chung Myung, who had been chuckling as he watched Wi Lipsan fall backward while clutching the bottle, stuck the bottle in his own mouth and started chugging.

Baek Cheon smiled contentedly at the sight.

‘I don’t know anymore.’

Whatever will be, will be.

“Give me some liquor too!”

Baek Cheon, having given up trying to be sensible, rushed towards where everyone was.

The drinking party, which had started as a welcoming ceremony for Hye-yeon, continued more wildly and joyfully than expected, lasting all night long.

If Beopjeong had seen this scene, he would have been completely horrified, but fortunately or unfortunately, he was far away in Sungsan and had no way of knowing about any of this.

It was a night of fun and chaos that no one would forget.