Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 925

Abbot Beopjeong, the head of Shaolin Temple, lowered his head. Everyone watching fell silent, even the Mount Hua disciples.

*The Abbot of Shaolin… bowing?*

To their Sect Leader, Hyun Jong.

Normally, this would be a moment to be proud. Not long ago, Mount Hua was almost destroyed. They were so poor, they might lose everything. Hyun Jong, who had led this weak sect, was now being bowed to by the Abbot of Shaolin! It was unbelievable.

But no one felt proud. They were just shocked. This situation was too strange, too amazing to believe.

“Please don’t do this, Abbot. I don’t know what to do.”

“Alliance Leader.”

Beopjeong grasped Hyun Jong’s hand, who was trying to raise him, and said,

“I won’t deny that Shaolin has wronged Mount Hua. Even though we didn’t have enough resources, we should have dealt with the evil groups that went to Shanxi when Mount Hua closed its doors.”

“…”

“Please forgive us for not doing so.”

“…How can I call that a fault?”

A faint groan escaped from Hyun Young’s lips.

Shaolin and Mount Hua had been enemies for a long time. In particular, the incident that Beopjeong had just mentioned was the final blow. Until then, it could be seen as just differences, but this incident felt clearly malicious.

It was something that would never have happened if Shaolin had considered Mount Hua a friend.

Yet Beopjeong mentioned that very point first and lowered his head. When someone as important as the Abbot of Shaolin acted so humbly, Hyun Jong didn’t know how to respond.

‘How frightening.’

Words are easy. Logic is simple.

But how easy would it be for the Abbot of Shaolin, the North Star of the martial arts world, to bow his head to someone? It wouldn’t be easy to simply bow his head, but would it really be possible to kneel completely on the floor like that?

It was an unimaginable blow. Even if the one who was struck wasn’t the gentle Hyun Jong, it would have been difficult to find a way to respond.

“Mount Hua does not resent Shaolin. We know that Shaolin is working hard day and night for the stability of Henan, so how can we resent Shaolin?”

“…Alliance Leader.”

“However… it is only sad that there are those who have been sacrificed by those evil groups.”

Hyun Jong sighed deeply.

“So please don’t do this, Abbot. I cannot bear it.”

Beopjeong nodded and sat upright again. Only then did Hyun Jong release Beopjeong’s hand and return to his seat.

Just then, Un Am came in with a tea set.

“Sect Leader.”

“Yes.”

Hyun Jong accepted the tea set that Un Am handed him, feeling that it was a good thing.

“Things are a little out of order, but I will serve you tea.”

“To have tea brewed by the great Alliance Leader of the Cheonwu Alliance, what could be a greater honor than this?”

“…I am grateful that you think so.”

Hyun Jong began to brew tea with a slightly pale face. Holding the familiar tea set, he felt his surprised heart calm down a little.

“Here it is.”

“Thank you, Alliance Leader.”

Beopjeong took a sip of the tea that Hyun Jong offered and smiled gently.

“The plum blossom tea of Mount Hua is truly a masterpiece. It seems better than any tea I have ever tasted.”

“It is merely plum blossoms that are scattered on the mountain because we could not find tea as good as other places. How can it be compared to the famous teas of the world?”

“If it has its own unique characteristics, how can it be said to be worse than precious teas?”

The atmosphere eased a little.

But those who were quick-witted still knew that Beopjeong was in control and leading the situation.

‘Indeed, the Abbot of Shaolin…’

He didn’t exactly put pressure on them, nor did he show off his status. He didn’t even bully people. Yet everyone in the room couldn’t take their eyes off Beopjeong’s every move.

Clink.

Beopjeong carefully placed the teacup he was holding in his hand.

“Alliance Leader.”

“Speak, Abbot.”

“As I said, the situation in the Jang River is not good.”

“…Yes.”

“The Namgung Clan has taken Plum Blossom Island for themselves. The Demonic Sect Alliance will not allow the Namgung Clan to point a knife at their territory right in front of them.”

Hyun Jong frowned.

“Will the situation become so urgent? In fact, that island called Plum Blossom Island is…”

“Yes. It is clear that the island was taken by Mount Hua.”

Hyun Jong nodded silently. Nevertheless, no problems had occurred for three years.

“But Mount Hua and the Namgung Clan are different. Mount Hua had no intention of attacking Gangnam, but the Namgung Clan is clearly provoking them, isn’t it?”

The words that should have been said were that the Demonic Sect Alliance treats the Nine Sects and the Cheonwu Alliance differently.

But Beopjeong didn’t bother to say those words. It was not good for him or Mount Hua.

“The Black Dragon King, who was attacked, will not stand by. And… Paegun, he will surely move as well. If the two main leaders of the Demonic Sect Alliance move, then the entire Demonic Sect Alliance will eventually move.”

Beopjeong closed his mouth for a moment and looked around at the people. The gaze that looked at each person was firm and full of strength.

“In the end, it is the common people who will suffer.”

“…”

“I am ashamed to say that the current Nine Great Sects are not enough to control the Demonic Sect Alliance. So, Alliance Leader, please lend us your strength. If the Cheonwu Alliance joins us, the Demonic Sect Alliance will not dare to invade Gangbuk easily.”

“Hmm.”

Hyun Jong frowned slightly and groaned. The word ‘common people’ bothered him.

He also knew that Shaolin had not revealed all of its inner thoughts anyway. And Hyun Jong also cannot reveal all of his inner thoughts to them anyway.

But whatever the hidden inner thoughts may be, the current Shaolin cannot control the Demonic Sect Alliance. The damage will clearly be directed to the common people, not Shaolin. This was an undeniable fact.

Hyun Jong opened his heavily closed mouth.

“What I cannot easily understand is…”

“Yes.”

“Is it really difficult to deal with the Demonic Sect Alliance with the power of the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families?”

This time, Beopjeong closed his eyes for a moment.

It was a word he didn’t want to say, but hiding it now is not the answer.

“It is because I am lacking.”

“…”

Hyun Jong didn’t ask any further. He had already heard about it from Chung Myung.

‘So, what should I do about this?’

The situation is simple. The sects that follow Shaolin now cannot stop the Demonic Sect Alliance from heading north to the Jang River.

And the sects in Sichuan and northern Jungwon do not want to risk their lives in a place that is not their territory.

If the Demonic Sect Alliance was so strong that they couldn’t even touch it, they would have been able to unite as one, at least on the surface. But the problem was that the current Demonic Sect Alliance was not strong enough to risk everyone’s lives.

Hyun Jong also doesn’t want to fight with Shaolin. Besides, dealing with the Demonic Sect Alliance is something that should be done.

But every job comes with sacrifices. If others don’t step up, why should Mount Hua step up?

Yes. If it weren’t for those common people.

“Hmm.”

As Hyun Jong’s worries grew longer, Beopjeong opened his mouth again.

“It is not for the Nine Great Sects and the Five Great Families. Please think of the people of the world who will suffer if a war breaks out, Alliance Leader…”

“The people of the world?”

At that moment, a mocking voice was heard.

Beopjeong opened his tightly closed eyes. He also knew that the real thing was about to begin.

“That’s right, the people of the world.”

“Ah. Shaolin is definitely different. You even know how to bow your head for the sake of the people of the world. I was honestly a little surprised.”

Chung Myung smiled gently as he looked at Beopjeong. But everyone in this place, including Beopjeong, knew.

That smile was never real.

“But…”

As expected, Chung Myung’s smile gradually turned into a mocking sneer.

“Don’t you think it’s a little funny to believe those words as they are?”

“…What do you mean?”

“It seems to me that it is the Abbot who wants the war?”

“Chung Myung-ah!”

Baek Cheon was surprised by Chung Myung’s words and exclaimed. Even he thought it was a statement that crossed the line a lot.

Beopjeong’s face, which had been maintaining a gentle expression, hardened slightly.

“May I ask why you think so?”

“It’s simple. What should we do to prevent the common people from being harmed?”

“…We must stop the Demonic Sect Alliance.”

“Wrong.”

Chung Myung shook his head.

“What we need to stop is not the Demonic Sect Alliance, but the war. It’s not like the common people are suffering just because there is a Demonic Sect Alliance. At least in Gangbuk.”

“…”

“If you don’t intend to push into Gangnam, the best way to protect the common people is not to start a war itself. But the Abbot is only thinking about fighting and winning. Isn’t that right?”

“If they want war, what can I do to stop them?”

“Surely the Abbot of Shaolin is not asking that because he doesn’t know?”

Chung Myung’s sneer deepened.

“If you really wanted to stop the war, you should have gone to the Jang River instead of running here. And you should have beaten Namgung Hwang to force the Namgung Clan out of Plum Blossom Island.”

“…”

“If the Namgung Clan is satisfied with recovering Gangbuk and does not push into Plum Blossom Island, then it will not be in a situation where they are pointing a knife at each other, as the Abbot said. Although the Surochae was disgraced, if they return Plum Blossom Island, they will not be able to start a war on their own.”

Beopjeong stared blankly at Chung Myung.

“Well, I know. If that happens, Shaolin will get all sorts of insults. Giving the land that the Namgung Clan has recovered to the enemy, Shaolin is afraid of the Demonic Sect Alliance and avoids fighting, the Abbot of Shaolin is a coward…”

“…”

“But.”

Chung Myung, who had stopped talking for a moment, shrugged his shoulders.

“Shaolin can save people instead of being insulted.”

Beopjeong’s body trembled slightly. Chung Myung’s last words pierced his lungs.

“Why? It seems like you didn’t even think about it?”

Beopjeong couldn’t answer. He clearly hadn’t considered this method. No, it didn’t even exist in his head in the first place.

The reason flowed from Chung Myung’s mouth.

“Well, of course you wouldn’t have thought about it. Because Shaolin comes first in the Abbot’s mind than anything else in the world. You would never have thought about Shaolin being insulted to fix what the Namgung Clan did. And you couldn’t stand giving the impression that Shaolin was afraid of the Demonic Sect Alliance.”

“I’m just…”

“No, well… I’m not trying to criticize you. Of course, you can do that. Honestly, it’s a really unpleasant thing. It’s probably unfair from the Abbot’s point of view. Because it’s not my fault. I understand enough. But…”

A cold gaze fell on Beopjeong.

Soon, Chung Myung’s lips twisted and white teeth were revealed.

“Then at least you shouldn’t have pretended to care about people by talking about the common people and the people of the world. You hypocrite.”

Beopjeong eventually closed his eyes tightly.

But there was no way to block the voice that came through his open ears.