Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 959

A heavy silence fell on the muddy riverbank. The cold night air hung heavy around them, and the dark river flowed silently nearby. The only sounds were their voices and the soft rustle of leaves in the wind.

Some might have felt a little relief because Vice Lord Namgung did not yell or curse.

But those who understood what this meant could only clench their fists tightly. They felt ashamed of their position.

The Shaolin, Mount Hua, and Beggars’ Sect were all there. Three of the Nine Great Sects, protectors of the Jianghu and keepers of honor, stood in front of Vice Lord Namgung. But he did not even look at them.

Even though the people he desperately needed to save were still trapped on that island, waiting to be rescued, Vice Lord Namgung acted as if they did not exist.

Because he had no hope in them.

That fact caused pain to everyone standing there. Despite being treated this way, they couldn’t say a word and instead lowered their heads. Their position made them feel very guilty.

Everyone fell silent. They couldn’t answer because they didn’t know, and even if they did, they were too ashamed to speak first.

Vice Lord Namgung looked at them coldly.

“…Do you not ask?”

“…Young Lord.”

Finally, Beopjeong spoke with a stifled groan.

“I am truly sorry, Young Lord.”

The Shaolin monks knew that Beopjeong rarely looked like this.

Beopjeong felt genuinely guilty towards Namgung Dowi.

“The Peng Clan will arrive soon. Then, we will do whatever it takes to rescue the Namgung Clan members remaining on Plum Blossom Island….”

“Hwasan!”

Namgung Dowi’s voice cut Beopjeong off.

Namgung Dowi’s face twitched. His lips trembled as he spoke with difficulty.

“…Where are they?”

Beopgye’s head slowly drooped.

Namgung Dowi did not look for them. He did not ask for help. Even though the people he had to save were standing right there, he did not wish, cry out, or ask those closest to him.

‘What right do I have to open my mouth?’

He was just a sinner.

“Young Lord….”

Beopjeong sighed deeply again.

“I understand how you feel, but this won’t do. You must save them in place of your late father… No, in place of the Lord of the Namgung Clan.”

Beopjeong’s eyes met Namgung Dowi’s head-on.

“…”

Beopjeong was speechless.

Had he ever seen such eyes before?

They weren’t the eyes of someone looking at a person. It was like looking at a stone on the side of the road. There was no hope or desire. It was as if he was saying that even a little bit of feeling was not worth having.

“Do you not know?”

“…”

When there was no answer, Namgung Dowi slowly nodded. Then, he started to walk forward, staggering.

“Y-Young Lord!”

Thud. Thud.

Namgung Dowi used his sword as a cane, leaning heavily on it as he walked silently on his difficult journey.

Then, one by one, the Shaolin monks stepped aside to the left and right. Biting their lips and clenching their fists, they quickly moved aside to make a path for him, showing they would not dare to block him.

Thud. Thud.

Namgung Dowi walked with difficulty along the path, looking like he might fall down at any moment.

“Young Lord.”

“…”

“Young Lord!”

“…”

“Young Lord! What do you plan to do!”

Beopjeong’s voice, which had been gentle at first, gradually grew louder. Soon, it became like a shout.

But Namgung Dowi, as if he couldn’t hear anything, simply staggered along.

Beopjeong bit his lip tightly and shouted again.

“Don’t be emotional! Hwasan can’t help! You need to save your clan!”

Namgung Dowi’s steps did not slow down.

Beopjeong’s words did not reach him at all.

His uncaring behavior made everyone feel more guilty than any curse or shout could have.

“This….”

Beopjeong’s face, red with anger, trembled.

“Young Lord!”

“…Hwasan.”

At that moment, someone spoke. It wasn’t Namgung Dowi.

Jao Gae, who had been watching this whole scene, spoke instead of Namgung Dowi. He was speaking to Namgung Dowi, not Beopjeong.

“They are not far from here.”

“…”

Namgung Dowi, who had finally stopped walking, slowly turned to look at Jao Gae.

“…Where are they?”

“It’s hard to explain in words.”

Jao Gae said calmly, as if he had made up his mind.

“Let us go together. I will guide you.”

“…”

Namgung Dowi stared silently at Jao Gae. Then, just as he was about to nod.

“Elder! What are you doing!”

Beopjeong shouted angrily. Jao Gae looked at him with cold eyes.

“You asked me to tell you, so I am telling you. It’s not a particularly great secret.”

“There’s no way the Hwasan Sect could be here! How can you say such a thing!”

“They are here.”

“…What?”

Jao Gae looked straight at Beopjeong and said again clearly.

“They are not far from here. They have been here for quite some time.”

Beopjeong’s eyes widened.

“They… they clearly said they wouldn’t participate in the affairs of the Yangtze River! But how….”

“They probably said they wouldn’t help the Nine Great Sects. They are currently providing relief to the refugees of the Yangtze River.”

Beopjeong was momentarily speechless. It was the first time he had heard that the Hwasan Sect was here. Seeing him unable to continue speaking with a flustered face, Jao Gae shook his head.

“I couldn’t say I didn’t know when you asked me what I knew, so I simply told you.”

Beopjeong’s lips trembled.

There was no mistake in Jao Gae’s words. It wasn’t wrong to tell someone what they asked. And where the Hwasan Sect was located wasn’t that great of a secret.

But the aftermath was the problem.

What if the rumor spread that the Namgung Clan, having arrived at this river, ignored the Nine Great Sects and sought help from the Hwasan Sect?

Could there be anything more terrible than that?

“Jao Gae!”

Beopjeong glared at Jao Gae with a ghostly face.

“Is this action the will of the Beggars’ Sect?”

“Of course not.”

Jao Gae shook his head calmly.

“How could someone who is not the Chief, but only an Elder, represent the Beggars’ Sect? It’s just my will.”

“Do you think that an Elder of the Beggars’ Sect can have his own will?”

Beopjeong replied coldly. Jao Gae closed his eyes for a moment, thinking. Then, he sighed deeply.

“…You are right.”

Realistically, Beopjeong’s words were correct.

No matter how much he guided Namgung Dowi of his own choice, as long as he was an Elder of the Beggars’ Sect, everything he did would become the will of the Beggars’ Sect. A person who leads many beggars cannot have personal feelings.

“You are not someone who doesn’t know how to act as an Elder of the Beggars’ Sect.”

“…”

“Step back.”

Jao Gae slowly raised his head and looked at the sky.

“Quickly!”

“…”

A heavy silence fell.

Jao Gae, who had been looking silently at the night sky despite Beopjeong’s urging, slowly lowered his head. Then, he smirked.

“Then there’s no other way.”

“You’ve thought this through….”

Rip!

Before Beopjeong could finish his sentence, Jao Gae roughly grabbed his upper garment and tore it off.

Beopjeong’s eyes widened.

“Wh-What…!”

Jao Gae threw the torn rags onto the floor. Among the tattered pieces of cloth, the knot symbolizing the Beggars’ Sect’s disciples was clearly visible.

Eight Knots.

Only the Elders of the Beggars’ Sect could tie eight knots.

“What’s so great about this?”

“J-Jao Gae!”

“If I can’t do what I need to do because of this position, then I have no choice but to leave it.”

Jao Gae smiled, as if he felt relieved. Beopjeong watched what he was doing with a confused look.

“My actions are no longer related to the Beggars’ Sect. So don’t order me around. You have no right to do so.”

With those words, Jao Gae turned around and quickly supported Namgung Dowi.

“I will guide you, Young Lord.”

“…”

Namgung Dowi, who had been silently watching him, slowly nodded. Just as Jao Gae was about to take a step, several Beggars’ Sect disciples tore off their clothes like Jao Gae and rushed to support Namgung Dowi.

“Wh-What are you doing? You fools!”

Jao Gae glared at them, but the Beggars’ Sect disciples grinned back.

“Elder… No, Old Beggar is too old to carry someone a long distance. Step aside. Don’t make the injured man die before he even arrives.”

“Tsk. Damn it. I never knew that being a Beggars’ Sect beggar would become a title in my life. No wonder I couldn’t live as I pleased.”

Everyone looked relieved.

The Beggars’ Sect disciples pushed Jao Gae away, who was speechless with disbelief.

“Step aside. Can’t you see someone is injured?”

“Jangpal, you carry him.”

“Yes, Branch… No, Brother.”

Seeing them competing to support and carry Namgung Dowi, Jao Gae chuckled.

“You’re all a bunch of stupid beggars.”

“Aren’t you the same, Old Beggar?”

Jao Gae shook his head as if there was no hope, and then glanced at Beopjeong. As expected, he looked very angry. Jao Gae grinned at him and shouted confidently.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes!”

The beggars carrying Namgung Dowi rushed forward like the wind without the slightest hesitation.

“…”

The ones left behind stared blankly at those who were moving away. They couldn’t even twitch until their figures disappeared.

Silence fell again. No one could speak and simply lowered their heads or looked into the distance.

They knew they no longer represented the honor of the Central Plains. They couldn’t be a place where those who desperately needed help could come.

“Ha….”

A sad, bitter laugh from someone was heard clearly by everyone. The short sound was so vivid with a mixture of injustice and guilt that their lips felt numb.

“Haha ha!”

At that moment, someone burst into loud laughter.

“Hyebang!”

Beopgye raised his voice as if telling him to stop, but Hyebang laughed even louder as if he couldn’t hear the words.

“Haha haha! Isn’t this a great sight? Is this what the Abbot wanted?”

“Can’t you shut your mouth!”

“What will change if I shut my mouth!”

Hyebang shouted back without backing down.

“Yes! I am foolish and cannot understand that important plan! I wish that were the case! I wish I were foolish and knew nothing! Please! Please!”

Beopjeong, affected by that sharp voice, looked around with powerless eyes.

No one met his eyes. Truly, no one.

“Heh heh.”

A hollow laugh escaped from Beopjeong’s mouth.

How did it come to this?

How did it….

“Amitabha.”

Closing his eyes with a miserable heart, he felt like he was falling into a deep hole. Into darkness that never ends.