Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 924

An awkward silence filled the air. Actually, it wasn’t just awkward. It was cold.

‘That madman…’

Of course, even in the past, Chung Myung hadn’t exactly been respectful to Beop Jeong. But back then, the relationship between the Shaolin and Mount Hua wasn’t so bad.

Baek Cheon bit his lip, a worried frown creasing his brow.

‘And the gap between them was immense then too.’

Think of it like this: a tiger doesn’t get mad when a puppy barks. It ignores it. But even a small puppy can bark at a big tiger.

But now?

Did Beop Jeong really see Chung Myung as a mere puppy now?

Baek Cheon didn’t think so. No matter how much Beop Jeong was the Abbot of Shaolin and an unparalleled figure in the Jianghu, it was impossible to treat the Mount Hua Sword Saint, Chung Myung, as a puppy.

Chung Myung was now important enough to bother even the Abbot of Shaolin.

So, it was no wonder the atmosphere felt like walking on thin ice.

But fortunately or unfortunately, it wasn’t Beop Jeong who reacted to those words, but Beop Gye, who was following behind him into the room.

Beop Gye glared at Chung Myung with cold eyes as he spoke.

“Hey, benefactor. You should show respect to your elders. Didn’t Mount Hua teach you manners?”

Normally, Beop Gye wouldn’t have stopped at this. After all, he was the head of the Disciplinary Hall, which dealt with Shaolin’s rules and laws.

Because Beop Gye knew why the Abbot was here, he only spoke sharply, instead of saying more.

However, Chung Myung’s reaction rendered his efforts useless.

“Courtesy?”

Chung Myung chuckled.

“Ah, courtesy. I like it too.”

Then, he looked at Beop Gye and said,

“But it seems like you monks only know one thing, living up in the mountains.”

“…What do you mean I don’t know?”

“While it’s basic to be courteous to superiors, there’s another basic in the Jianghu.”

“…And what is that?”

Chung Myung looked closely at the two guests who came without asking. He smirked.

“The one who needs something shows courtesy.”

“…”

Beop Gye’s mouth snapped shut.

“Isn’t that right?”

Chung Myung’s crooked smile dug into Beop Gye’s eyes. Beop Gye felt a quick flash of anger, but he knew he couldn’t get really angry here.

Partly because Beop Jeong was right in front of him, but…

‘Mount Hua…’

That name suppressed Beop Gye, preventing him from acting rashly. Before he knew it, the weight of Mount Hua had become that heavy even within him.

A calm voice reached Beop Gye’s ear, who was at a loss between the rising anger and that weight.

“Indeed, that is correct. Little Taoist, no, Mount Hua Sword Saint. As you say, the thirsty person digs the well.”

“A, Abbot.”

Beop Jeong smiled gently. That smile eased the tense atmosphere ever so slightly.

“I was worried your personality might have changed since it’s been a few years, but it seems you haven’t changed a bit.”

“They say a person changes when it’s time to die. Come to think of it, Abbot, you seem to have changed a bit?”

“…”

Beop Jeong’s mouth hung slightly open at the baseless remark.

What was he supposed to say to that?

“This rascal!”

But fortunately for Beop Jeong, there was someone who could be called an ally. That is, if the Sect Leader of that young Taoist who had guts hanging out of his belly could be called an ally.

Hyun Jong, his face contorted, roared loudly.

“He is the Abbot of Shaolin. Can you not show some respect!”

“But Sect Leader, how much more respect can I show?”

But Chung Myung retorted as if he were the one who was wronged. Hyun Jong flinched. *Why does Chung Myung always have to make things harder?*

“…You showed respect?”

“Yes!”

“That was?”

“Of course!”

Chung Myung thumped his chest and declared,

“I’m giving him the time of day because he’s the Abbot of Shaolin. Otherwise, phew, this place would be a bloodbath right now. Someone would be dead, someone! Come to think of it, didn’t someone say a little while ago that someone’s time to die was coming soon?”

“No one said that! Get away from here!”

“Ah, that’s strange. I thought someone did.”

“Can’t you just leave, you rascal!”

“Aww.”

Chung Myung smacked his lips regretfully and got up from his seat, slinking towards the back. Even in the midst of that, he didn’t forget to glance at Beop Jeong, as if urging him to get angry and fight him right now.

“…Amitabha.”

Beop Jeong chanted a short Buddhist prayer to calm his indescribable feelings.

How could that troublemaker, who casually picked fights with him, the Abbot of Shaolin, listen so well to Hyun Jong’s words?

Hyun Jong said with a mortified expression,

“I apologize, Abbot. I took him in as a disciple but failed to teach him properly…”

“No, why are you apologizing to him…!”

“Can’t you be quiet!”

Hyun Jong glared and gripped the 침목 (chim-mok) as if he would throw it any moment, causing Chung Myung to flinch and burrow into the corner. He leaned against the wall, muttering something, but Hyun Jong desperately ignored his voice.

‘If I send him out, Beop Jeong will be displeased, and if I leave him here, my insides will burst.’

He couldn’t send Chung Myung away, and he couldn’t keep him here without trouble. He felt like he was going crazy.

“Sect Leader.”

At that moment, Beop Jeong opened his mouth with a gentle smile.

“I am simply envious. With such excellent successors in Mount Hua, how reassuring must you feel?”

“They’re just troublemakers. I have to somehow turn those guys into Taoists before I die.”

He said that, but Hyun Jong’s face revealed an undeniable sense of pride. At least for this moment, even Beop Jeong couldn’t help but envy him.

“Please, sit down.”

“Yes.”

As Beop Jeong sat in the center, those who had entered the room sat around him.

Hyun Jong quietly watched the two men. Just the fact that Beop Jeong and Beop Gye were sitting in front of him pressed down on his shoulders with an unknown weight. It felt as if the room was filled with the presence of those two.

‘The Abbot of Shaolin.’

Was it true that one’s own stature had to be sufficient to know the size of the opponent?

When he was struggling to save Mount Hua, he didn’t realize how great a person Beop Jeong was. Only now, after experiencing various events, could he understand how amazing Beop Jeong was, having managed the massive Shaolin sect without incident.

And how much weight he was bearing.

“Ahem.”

Hyun Jong cleared his throat as if trying to shake off Beop Jeong’s presence and opened his mouth.

“You must have had a long journey.”

“Not at all.”

Beop Jeong opened his mouth with a gentle smile.

“I thought of Shaanxi as being far away, but coming here urgently this time, it didn’t take that long. If I had known earlier, I would have visited more often.”

“Your words make it sound like you’re blaming me for not visiting often enough, which makes me feel embarrassed. I should have visited you earlier, but you came here first, making me feel ashamed.”

“I know you’re very busy, Alliance Leader… Oh, sorry, I made a mistake.”

“Yes?”

Beop Jeong rubbed the back of his head as if he had committed a faux pas. The moment he saw his hand touching his bald head, Chung Myung saw this and thought, ‘Aha!’ He tried to shout something, but Baek Cheon was ready and quickly covered Chung Myung’s mouth.

Thanks to that, Beop Jeong continued his words without incident.

“It’s not Sect Leader, is it? I should call you Alliance Leader. I have committed a faux pas. Please forgive me.”

“N-no need for forgiveness. Sect Leader is enough… really, Sect Leader is fine.”

“That won’t do. Everyone has a title that suits their position.”

Then, Hyun Young, who was next to him, narrowed his eyes slightly.

‘That monk…’

The fact that he insisted on calling Hyun Jong the Alliance Leader after coming all the way to Mount Hua meant that his visit wasn’t simply limited to Mount Hua.

In other words, he was dealing with Hyun Jong, the Alliance Leader of the Heavenly Union, not Hyun Jong, the Sect Leader of Mount Hua.

“Ahem.”

Hyun Jong cleared his throat again, as if he understood the intention.

“With the busy Abbot in front of me, I must be careful with my words. If I ask what I’m curious about, it feels like I’m pressing you, and if I have a friendly chat, it feels like I’m taking up your time.”

“Haha. I’m the one who came to visit, how could you be taking up my time?”

“Abbot.”

Hyun Jong sighed and looked at Beop Jeong.

“If it’s not rude to ask, may I inquire about the reason for your visit to Mount Hua?”

Beop Jeong wore a subtle expression.

“To put it bluntly…”

And after a slight pause, he opened his mouth.

“I thought the relationship between Shaolin and Mount Hua wasn’t as good as it used to be. There have been several incidents, and there has been a period of estrangement.”

Hyun Jong waited with a nervous expression for Beop Jeong’s next words.

“But… even so, I didn’t think I wouldn’t even be offered a cup of tea. The plum blossom tea you gave me before was exquisite.”

“Ah…”

Hyun Jong’s face flushed red. Now that he thought about it, the Abbot of Shaolin had come as a guest, but he hadn’t even offered him a cup of tea and had gone straight to the point.

Normally, he would never have made such a mistake, but the sudden visit of the Abbot of Shaolin had clearly shaken him.

“I have made a mistake. Unam! Go and bring the tea set, quickly!”

“Yes!”

Unam, realizing his mistake, jumped up and ran out.

“I apologize, Abbot. I was so flustered.”

“No, no. There’s no mistake to be made. I was just wondering if the Alliance Leader no longer thought of me as he did in the past.”

“How could that be? That is certainly not the case.”

“Then I’m relieved. Heh heh heh heh.”

Chung Myung’s face twisted slightly as he watched the situation unfold.

‘That snake-like bald head!’

With just a few light words, Beop Jeong had instantly seized control of the atmosphere in the room and completely taken control of the situation.

Moreover, when mentioning the past, he used the title ‘Sect Leader’ again, and when discussing the present, he used the title ‘Alliance Leader,’ pointing out that the treatment was different because the position had changed.

Regardless of his likes or dislikes for the person, there was no denying his ability to achieve what he wanted with just a few words. That’s probably how he rose to the position of Abbot of Shaolin.

“The tea will be here soon…”

“Alliance Leader.”

Beop Jeong opened his mouth in a soft voice.

“Tea is good, but there is something more important.”

“What…”

“You must have heard the story? About the Yangtze River.”

Beop Jeong opened his mouth as if he expected Hyun Jong to know about it. After all, it was only yesterday that Namgung had occupied the Plum Blossom Island in the Yangtze River.

“…Yes, I have heard.”

“Indeed.”

Beop Jeong glanced back slightly. He couldn’t see the beggar he had seen when he came here.

“Things are getting worse than we thought, Alliance Leader.”

“Yes. That’s what I heard.”

“The reason I came here is one thing, Alliance Leader. Please lend me your strength.”

At that moment, Beop Jeong bowed deeply to Hyun Jong in his seat, as if kneeling down to beg.

“W, w, what is this!”

Hyun Jong, his face pale, was horrified and jumped up. He was so flustered that he jumped over the tea table in front of him and grabbed Beop Jeong to lift him up.

“Why, why are you doing this, Abbot!”

The Abbot of Shaolin was bowing!

Even Hyun Jong couldn’t help but be flustered.

But a hollow laugh finally burst from Chung Myung’s mouth as he watched the series of events.

“Heh…”

The old snake was now wrapping its long tail around Hyun Jong’s neck.

‘So, that’s how you’re coming at this?’

A sharp blue light flowed from Chung Myung’s eyes.