Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 650

In the dim light of the temple, a giant golden Buddha statue loomed, its serene face watching over everything. Before it sat Abbot Beopjeong, a respected monk, his eyes closed as he chanted holy verses. Incense smoke curled around him, smelling of sandalwood and old wood.

Monks praying was a normal sight in Shaolin Temple. But anyone who watched Abbot Beopjeong knew he was no ordinary monk. He seemed to prove that true greatness came from the simplest things, from within.

As he chanted, his face became even more peaceful. But suddenly, the quiet of his deep meditation was broken.

“Abbot!” a voice shouted, urgent and loud. It came from beyond the heavy wooden door.

The old monk’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

Following the Buddhist teachings was most important for those in the Buddhist order. So, you shouldn’t disturb a monk’s meditation unless it’s really important.

The monk who was shouting knew this. So, something more important than meditation must have happened.

“Enter.”

As soon as he said this, the door flew open. A monk in Shaolin’s yellow robes, Beopgye, rushed in, panting.

“Terrible news, Abbot!”

“Calm down first.”

Beopgye took a deep breath and sat down, hearing the old monk’s calm words.

“Sorry, Abbot. I had to tell you right away.”

“Yes? What’s wrong?”

“Abbot! Wudang has fallen!”

The Shaolin Abbot, Beopjeong, slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Beopgye with a serious gaze.

“Tell me everything.”

“Yes! Wudang and Mount Hua had a martial arts contest in Wuhan.”

“A contest?”

Beopjeong repeated the words and sighed softly.

“The first-generation students of Mount Hua probably didn’t join the contest. Did Wudang send their second-generation students?”

“No, Mount Hua sent their second-generation students, but Wudang sent their first-generation students.”

Beopjeong frowned a little.

Beopjeong rarely showed his feelings, but he didn’t expect this.

“Tell me everything.”

“Yes, it was like this…”

Beopjeong listened and quietly shook his head.

“The Wudang Sect Leader made a mistake.”

“A mistake, but who could have guessed this would happen? Everyone in Jianghu knows the first-generation students of Wudang are very strong. Even if it’s a loss in a contest, the young students of Mount Hua beat the first-generation students of Wudang many times, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Only a few second-generation students of Shaolin can beat the first-generation students of Wudang. It’s even harder if the Wudang students are well-known.”

But Mount Hua did it.

“Will everything be okay, Abbot?”

Beopgye swallowed and spoke nervously.

“This isn’t just about Wudang losing. Wudang and our temple are important symbols of martial arts in the Central Plains. They’re also like symbols of the Nine Great Sects, aren’t they?”

Beopjeong nodded, agreeing with him.

“Mount Hua beating them means Mount Hua beat the Central Plains martial arts world. Won’t people say Mount Hua beat the Nine Great Sects?”

“Hmm.”

Beopjeong’s eyebrows twitched again.

“Mount Hua is just one sect in the Central Plains martial arts world. Why do you talk about them like they’re outsiders?”

“Abbot, do you know what they’re doing now?”

“…”

“If the Cheonwu Alliance didn’t exist, we might even be happy about Mount Hua’s success. But how can we like those who say they’ll take a different path from us?”

“Why shouldn’t we like them?”

“How can you be so calm!”

Beopjeong smiled strangely, watching Beopgye’s frustration.

“If they don’t listen after we tell them many times, they’ll have to deal with the results. The Sect Leader was too quick this time.”

“Please don’t talk like it’s not our problem! Shaolin has to deal with what Wudang did, right?”

“People always have problems. What’s one more small problem on top of all the others?”

Beopgye couldn’t hold back his frustration and clenched his sleeves.

Beopjeong’s Buddhist teachings were too advanced for him to understand. So, it was natural that he couldn’t understand his deep thoughts.

But sometimes, those big words made him angry. Like now.

“Abbot, are you going to leave Mount Hua alone?”

“What if I don’t leave them alone?”

Beopgye looked at Beopjeong, confused.

“I don’t understand what you’re thinking, Abbot. Why are you so easy on Mount Hua?”

“…”

“I don’t understand why you trust Mount Hua with tasks, allow them to create the Cheonwu Alliance, and keep Hae Yeon, who is important to Shaolin’s future, there.”

“Did I do that? That’s just how things happened.”

“You can change things, Abbot.”

“Beopgye.”

Beopgye flinched at Beopjeong’s low voice and lowered his head.

“I was…”

“It’s okay.”

Beopjeong chanted a Buddhist prayer and looked at Beopgye.

“You asked why I’m leaving Mount Hua alone?”

“Yes.”

“Let’s say there are fish in a pond.”

“Yes?”

“If nothing in the water eats the fish, what will happen?”

Beopgye thought for a moment before answering.

“They would live well, right? Because nothing will eat them.”

“Wrong.”

Beopjeong shook his head.

“The pond will rot. The fish will have too many babies and eat all the plants. Then, they will starve to death because there are no plants left.”

“…”

“But that doesn’t happen when things eat them.”

This didn’t mean Mount Hua was an enemy of the Nine Great Sects. It just meant Mount Hua was helping the Nine Great Sects wake up.

“But Abbot…”

Beopgye sighed softly.

“The Nine Great Sects aren’t fish.”

“…”

“Fish have to run when something tries to eat them, but the Nine Great Sects won’t let a sect that might eat them get away. Wudang lost, but they won’t give up.”

“That’s true.”

“If they learn from this and are careful, that would be good, but that won’t happen. Those who have been hurt will try to destroy Mount Hua, right?”

“…”

“Also, this is the second time. Jongnam is already closed, and Wudang is embarrassed. The Nine Great Sects used to be nice to Mount Hua, but now they won’t care about being nice.”

It was now clear.

The young people of Mount Hua were not just young people anymore. ‘Young people’ means they might do great things in the future. But the young people of Mount Hua were already strong and a threat.

If things kept going like this, Mount Hua would control all the sects in the world. The contest with Wudang showed this to the world.

“Beopgye.”

“Yes, Abbot.”

“Do you think Mount Hua doesn’t know this?”

“…”

Beopjeong quietly shook his head.

“That kid has many snakes in his stomach. No, not snakes, but dragons. Even I don’t know what he’s planning.”

“Are you talking about the Divine Dragon of Mount Hua?”

“Yes.”

“If he’s so smart, he should know how to avoid being watched.”

“He would have done that if he had time.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you have time, you can treat a wound with medicine. But if you don’t have time, you have to cut it open quickly.”

“…”

Beopgye looked confused, but Beopjeong didn’t say more. He knew Beopgye wouldn’t understand.

It wasn’t because he wasn’t smart, but because Beopjeong saw the world differently.

‘Protecting against Mount Hua?’

That meant the Nine Great Sects would have a common enemy.

When there is an enemy outside, people work together. This has always been true.

Now, the Nine Great Sects, who had been fighting, would work together. If Mount Hua led the Cheonwu Alliance and became more famous, this would happen faster.

If they fought, that would be bad, but if they didn’t, the Cheonwu Alliance would help the Nine Great Sects grow.

And Wudang would lose some power in the Nine Great Sects because of this.

On the other hand, because of Wudang’s loss, people forgot about Shaolin’s mistake in the martial arts contest.

Shaolin didn’t need to stop this, because the Nine Great Sects would work together, and Shaolin would have more power.

“The gift won’t be enough.”

“Yes?”

Beopjeong smiled quietly.

He knew Mount Hua didn’t like Shaolin, and he understood why. But Chung Myung wouldn’t let his feelings ruin a big plan.

Enemies helping each other.

That’s how Mount Hua and Wudang were related.

Beopjeong thought he heard Chung Myung’s annoyed voice.

“- If I’ve set the table, you should be able to eat, right? If you can’t, you should quit!”

“Hehe.”

Beopjeong smiled and said,

“The stronger the enemy that doesn’t attack, the better.”

“What do you mean, Abbot?”

“When is the Cheonwu Alliance starting?”

“It’s not sure yet, but it will start when Mount Hua gets back. I heard the Tang Clan Lord is working hard.”

“I can’t go, so I’ll send someone. You should go and congratulate them.”

“Abbot?”

“And.”

“Yes?”

Beopjeong’s eyes darkened.

“We should use this chance. Tell the Nine Great Sects I want to talk about the Cheonwu Alliance.”

Beopgye swallowed, embarrassed.

‘This is getting bigger than I thought.’

He didn’t know what Beopjeong was planning. But if this meeting happened, it would be important.

Beopgye nodded, realizing big changes were coming to the Central Plains.