Return Of The Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 457

Hye-yeon sighed quietly when he saw Beop-jeong. The Abbot looked like he had lost all energy, his eyes empty.

*That Chung Myung is a real troublemaker,* Hye-yeon thought. *Even the Abbot of Shaolin seems defeated by him.*

Beop-jeong stared at Hye-yeon for a long moment, his face blank. Then, he spoke, his voice low.

“Hye-yeon.”

“Yes, Abbot?” Hye-yeon replied, waiting.

“Tell me, Hye-yeon… what is money?”

“Yes?”

Hye-yeon blinked, surprised by the sudden question.

He thought for a moment before answering the Abbot’s question.

“Isn’t it a good thing?”

“⋯⋯”

“The more, the better.”

Beop-jeong closed his eyes, looking devastated.

*He’s completely tainted,* he thought.

Even if the answer wasn’t wrong, how could a monk say such a thing?

It was surprising because Hye-yeon had spent his whole life in Shaolin, learning strict Buddhist principles. Yet, in just a few months, he could say such things so easily.

Hye-yeon noticed Beop-jeong’s expression and cleared his throat. The Abbot’s face looked older than Hye-yeon remembered, lines of worry etched around his eyes and mouth.

Hye-yeon asked carefully, “Is something wrong?”

Beop-jeong sighed and shook his head.

“I didn’t expect you to sacrifice yourself for everyone, but still…”

He thought, *At least I thought you’d keep up appearances!*

He had hoped that as the leader of Shaolin, his visit and talk of cooperation would put pressure on them because of Shaolin’s reputation.

Wasn’t the reason why famous and powerful groups like the Nine Great Sects and Five Great Families were respected because of their reputation? People from respected families usually avoided actions that would damage their reputation.

But that troublemaker, Chung Myung, also known as the Hwasan Divine Dragon, didn’t seem to care about reputation at all.

Beop-jeong remembered Chung Myung’s words: “Glory? Gloooory? Is this old man coming to Hwasan to talk about glory? Oh my! Is that why Hwasan is like this? He talks about reputation, but maybe he lost his own reputation a long time ago!”

Beop-jeong’s beard trembled as he remembered that voice.

“Ugh… My heart…”

“A, Abbot! Please calm down!”

“Ugh…”

Beop-jeong shook his head hard, trying to forget Chung Myung’s words.

“Amitabha! Amitabha!”

Chanting Buddha’s name calmed his heart.

“Truly a devil. A devil.”

What else could he be but a devil, shattering years of practice in a moment?

Beop-jeong sighed, looking troubled.

*But it can’t be helped.*

Even if the opponent was worse than a devil, he had to ask for help.

He really needed Hwasan’s help. Chung Myung had been right. As time passed without solving the problem in the Northern Sea, people were starting to question Shaolin’s leadership.

No sect could handle the Northern Sea right now, but would people understand that?

*If only it wasn’t for the Mount Hua Competition…*

Of course, Shaolin was still strong.

But being strong wasn’t enough. Shaolin had to be the most influential sect, not just the strongest. But things had changed since that competition.

“Hoo…”

Beop-jeong sighed deeply.

*This is really hard to handle.*

It felt like trying to catch a slippery fish. It was impossible to guess what he would do next.

“Hye-yeon.”

“Yes, Abbot.”

“What is Hwasan like, from what you saw?”

Hye-yeon frowned, thinking hard.

If he had to describe Chung Myung, he could talk for days. But what was Hwasan like?

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“No, Abbot.”

“Is that all?”

Hye-yeon nodded.

“That’s all I can say right now.”

Beop-jeong stared at him, thinking, then smiled slightly.

“It’s good that you say you don’t know when you don’t know. Many people pretend to know everything, even when they don’t.”

It was strange.

Hye-yeon had changed a little from his Buddhist teachings. But now, his answer showed Buddhist principles, even more than when he was in Shaolin.

“The Buddha also left his home to find enlightenment. Maybe Buddhist teachings can’t be found inside a temple.”

“Abbot.”

“Amitabha.”

Beop-jeong nodded.

“Yes. So, did you learn a lot?”

“I have.”

Hye-yeon bowed slightly, his palms together. He looked up, his eyes clear.

“Abbot, I’ve learned… the world is much bigger than Shaolin.”

“Hmm.”

“I also realized that good isn’t just one thing. Maybe the Buddhist path we follow isn’t the only way to find the true meaning of life.”

“Good.”

Beop-jeong nodded.

Real understanding comes from doubt.

When a monk is too sure of what is good, it becomes pride. A monk should always doubt and seek true good.

So, Hye-yeon had learned a lot.

“Therefore.”

Hye-yeon put his palms together and chanted Buddha’s name.

“Amitabha. I will return to Shaolin to organize what I’ve learned and try to improve myself.”

“A good attitude. A good attitude.”

Beop-jeong nodded, pleased.

Seeing how much Hye-yeon had grown, he felt a warmth in his heart. It felt like the wound from Chung Myung was healing.

But there was one thing…

“Hmm. But…”

Beop-jeong looked at Hye-yeon strangely.

“That practice, I mean.”

“Yes?”

He cleared his throat and said seriously, “I don’t think you’ve seen enough of the world outside Shaolin yet.”

“…Abbot?”

Hye-yeon’s eyes widened.

“What do you mean, Abbot?”

“Amitabha.”

Beop-jeong chanted Buddha’s name.

“Learning happens at the right time,” Abbot Beop-jeong said, his voice calm but firm. “If you miss learning now, you might not learn it later, even if you leave Shaolin.”

Hye-yeon stayed silent, his brow furrowed in thought.

“So,” the Abbot continued, looking at Hye-yeon with kind eyes, “for now, it is best for you to stay here and watch over Cheong-myeong, the Hwasan Divine Dragon, a little longer.”

“Abbot?” Hye-yeon finally asked, his voice full of question.

Abbot Beop-jeong cleared his throat loudly, the sound echoing in the quiet room. He sighed deeply, a sound of someone carrying a heavy burden. Hye-yeon’s face showed he didn’t agree easily with what he was hearing.

He couldn’t tell any more lies when faced with such a suspicious expression.

“It can’t be helped.”

“Yes?”

“The leaders say he is needed, even in the far Northern Sea. They say we *must* take him there.”

Hye-yeon’s eyes widened.

“Ah, no, even so…!”

“This is for the good of everyone, so how can Shaolin refuse to help? What could I possibly say?”

Hye-yeon’s eyes showed confusion, worry, and a little bit of anger. But Beop-jeong simply turned his head slightly and looked away.

Abbot Beop-jeong sighed again. “Anyway… that’s the decision.”

“Amitabha.”

The light in Hye-yeon’s eyes rapidly faded.

“Are you really going to be alright?”

Hyeon-jong’s face was etched with deep worry as he asked the question.

Hyeon-jong had argued strongly with Abbot Beop-jeong and finally convinced him. The trip to the Northern Sea was now decided. But even knowing that, Hyeon-jong couldn’t shake off his worries.

Hyeon-jong felt a little satisfied seeing the Abbot of Shaolin so bothered by this decision.

Just then, Cheong-myeong shrugged his shoulders and replied calmly.

“If it was just a small problem, I wouldn’t worry. But this time, it’s a very big deal.”

“Hmm.”

“If you think about it differently, we can solve all these problems at once by going to the Northern Sea.”

Hyeon-jong frowned.

“But I still feel uneasy.”

Cheong-myeong carefully studied his face at the worried tone. He still didn’t seem to be at ease.

“Your safety is more important than any treasure. That’s true for every Hwasan disciple, not just you.”

“Yes. I know.”

“Cheong-myeong. The Demonic Sect is unlike anything you’ve faced before. They are very dangerous.”

Cheong-myeong didn’t deny it and slowly nodded.

No one knows more about the Demonic Sect than Cheong-myeong. At least, not in this world. But he didn’t bother to reveal such thoughts.

“I know it’s dangerous.”

“Hmm.”

“But some dangers you can avoid, and some you must face quickly.”

“That’s true, but⋯⋯.”

Cheong-myeong shrugged again and smiled.

“People learn from mistakes. History shows us that. Just because things look peaceful now, doesn’t mean there isn’t trouble hidden underneath.”

If the Central Plains had recognized the Demonic Sect’s resurgence just a little sooner, the outcome might have been different. But the Central Plains had been intoxicated by a long period of peace, just like now.

‘I can’t repeat the same mistake.’

The Northern Sea is connected to many things – Bing-jeong, Han Cheol, and even the Northern Ice Palace, which is a very important place.

But none of them were the decisive reason for Cheong-myeong’s decision to go to the Northern Sea.

‘Now that it’s come to this, I have to see it with my own eyes.’

The fact that Shaolin hasn’t been able to resolve it even after so much time means that something is definitely happening in the Northern Sea.

Perhaps a more urgent situation than Cheong-myeong had imagined was unfolding.

‘The Heavenly Union is not strong enough yet.’

We need to make things more stable before the Heavenly Union gets stronger. That way, Hwasan can become a little safer.

“The Demonic Sect is scary.”

“Indeed.”

“But we can’t just turn a blind eye because it’s scary, can we?”

Cheong-myeong shrugged.

“To make Hwasan strong again, even stronger than before, we need to fix the mistakes of the past when we couldn’t stop the Demonic Sect.”

Hyeon-jong looked at Cheong-myeong with heavy eyes.

“Do you realize how difficult that will be?”

“Yes.”

He knew better than anyone.

But Cheong-myeong’s mind was firm.

“This time, we have to strike first.”

“That’s the only way to understand the current situation. You can’t fight an enemy you don’t know. If it’s something we have to face someday, I don’t want to just wait until then.”

Cheong-myeong stroked Baek-ah, who was briefly wriggling on his neck, and grinned.

“Ah, of course, that doesn’t mean Hwasan will be at the forefront to stop the Demonic Sect. It’s just that this is a very good opportunity for Hwasan, so it’s worth trying.”

Hyeon-jong quietly looked at him and said.

“Cheong-myeong-ah.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“Our Hwasan lost too much because of the Demonic Sect.”

Hyeon-jong paused for a moment and quietly closed his eyes.

“If it weren’t for the Demonic Sect, if we hadn’t been at the forefront to stop the Demonic Sect⋯⋯.”

Soon, a small sigh escaped from his lips.

“Do you think I haven’t had such thoughts? There were times when I was very angry at our ancestors.”

Cheong-myeong didn’t say anything.

He was not qualified to answer that.

“But⋯⋯.”

Hyeon-jong briefly shifted his gaze to the window and then looked straight at Cheong-myeong again.

“The reason I could take pride in being a disciple of Hwasan was because of those resentful people. Because of them, I am proud that Hwasan did its best to protect the world.”

Cheong-myeong eventually closed his eyes tightly at the calmly continuing, confident voice.

Strangely, it was very difficult to look at Hyeon-jong’s face.

“I can’t tell you to only protect your own safety.”

Like parents letting their children grow up, teachers must let their students grow too.

Even if it’s hard, I can’t stop you from going.

“Just promise me one thing.”

“Yes?”

“You can do what you need to do there. No matter what, Hwasan will support you. So⋯⋯.”

Hyeon-jong hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a slightly suppressed voice.

“You must return safely.”

A smile finally formed on Cheong-myeong’s lips upon hearing those words.

“Don’t worry, Sect Leader.”