Return of the Mount Hua Sect [EN]: Chapter 987

Beopjeong’s fingertips trembled slightly. He felt a cold sweat on his palms, despite the chill wind blowing off the river.

“I…” he started to say, but the words caught in his throat.

He watched Chung Myung spit out his harsh words like poison and then turn his back. It felt like Beopjeong had swallowed a burning coal. His chest tightened.

He knew he couldn’t do anything. Grabbing Chung Myung now, trying to argue with someone who had already dismissed him, would just make him look weak and foolish. It was a pathetic image he couldn’t bear.

“Hwasan Sword Saint!”

The atmosphere had completely changed. Now, no one dared to argue against the Hwasan Sword Saint’s words.

Beopjeong knew raising his voice wouldn’t help here. No one would listen to his reasons now.

Therefore, Beopjeong turned his attention to Hyun Jong and Tang Gunak.

“Is this… is this really… the Cheonwoo Alliance’s decision? Is this what you all want?” he asked, struggling to keep his voice steady.

No matter how much weight the Hwasan Sword Saint’s words carried, he had not officially received any position within the Cheonwoo Alliance. This meant that his words could not be the will of the Cheonwoo Alliance.

In the end, the will of the Cheonwoo Alliance was determined by Hyun Jong and Tang Gunak.

Beopjeong stared hard at Hyun Jong and Tang Gunak, trying to make them feel pressured.

“Answer me. Is this truly the will of the Cheonwoo Alliance?”

Hyun Jong met his gaze calmly.

“It is a bit extreme to call it the will of the Cheonwoo Alliance, but well….”

Beopjeong’s face twisted at the unclear answer.

“Sect Leader!”

He urged urgently, but Hyun Jong simply shook his head slowly.

“As that child said, even if we were given another chance, we would head to the Plum Blossom Island without hesitation.”

“……”

“We have no shame in what we have done. If the world criticizes us, then that is unavoidable, isn’t it? From the beginning, everything we did was not for the sake of showing it to the world, so we have no choice but to endure it.”

Beopjeong stared at Hyun Jong with wide eyes.

What on earth was he saying?

It was not for the sake of showing it to the world? He would endure the criticism?

Could such words come from the mouth of someone leading a sect, and furthermore, an alliance?

“Do you… do you really think that choice is right?”

“Abbot,” Hyun Jong sighed and said.

“There is nothing perfect in this world.”

“……”

“Therefore, there is nothing completely right either. So, one can only ask oneself. Whether I am on the right path now.”

It was not a remark specifically aimed at Beopjeong. But Beopjeong felt as though Hyun Jong was asking, ‘Do you really think you are right?’ He felt sick with worry.

On the other hand, Hyun Jong’s eyes did not waver. What dwelled in those deep eyes was a belief in himself.

“My heart tells me that I have done the right thing. So, what does it matter what others think? I hope you will not force the ways of Shaolin upon us. The Cheonwoo Alliance will do what it believes is right.”

“……”

“I believe that is an answer. Then.”

Hyun Jong stepped back.

Of course, Beopjeong wanted to hold him back. Because he knew that he should not let the Cheonwoo Alliance go like this.

But he couldn’t. Someone who had emerged from behind Hyun Jong was approaching Beopjeong.

The one who had dyed his once pure white uniform crimson with his own blood. The one whose limping steps were filled with deep-seated resentment.

No matter how urgent Beopjeong was, he could not ignore this person and grab Hyun Jong.

Because that person was none other than Namgung Dowi.

“…Namgung Benefactor.”

Namgung Dowi, standing before Beopjeong, glared at him with eyes full of venom.

How could he not?

Shaolin had thoroughly betrayed Namgung’s expectations.

It would have been better if they had not shown their faces on this riverbank at all. But to come all the way here and only watch Namgung being thoroughly trampled upon was an unforgivable act.

Of course, Beopjeong had his own reasons, but would that be accepted by the Namgung Clan, who had experienced that hell?

Even Beopjeong had never once thought that he could be forgiven by Namgung. But facing Namgung Dowi, who among the Namgung Clan would harbor the most bitter resentment towards Shaolin, he could not help but be at a loss for words.

While Beopjeong hesitated, unable to speak easily, Namgung Dowi opened his mouth first.

“…Collusion, is it?” A laugh that sounded like it was torn from his throat escaped his lips. It was a laugh without any joy, full of bitterness and pain.

“According to the Abbot’s words, our Namgung Clan has saved our wretched lives as a price for the collusion between the Four Evil Sects and the Cheonwoo Alliance.”

“B, Benefactor.”

“What should I do?” A murderous aura burst forth from Namgung Dowi’s hollow, sunken eyes.

“This wretched life, saved thanks to a dirty collusion, should I end it now to regain that honor?”

“Namgung Benefactor. My words….”

“Haha…. Hahaha.”

Namgung Dowi let out a twisted laugh.

“It seems that those who should have died have returned alive, disturbing the Abbot’s peace of mind. I apologize.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Really?” Namgung Dowi, who had turned serious as if he had never laughed, pressed him.

His eyes were asking.

Did Shaolin really want the Namgung Clan to return alive from that island? From the moment they gave up on rescuing the Namgung Clan, didn’t they wish that there would be no survivors?

Beopjeong could not answer that question.

If Namgung Dowi alone was the problem, he could have suppressed him with his authority somehow. But the surviving members of the Namgung Clan, who had regained consciousness, were all looking at him as if he were their mortal enemy. What could he say in the midst of that?

Even if he had ten mouths, he would have nothing to say.

“If you don’t want to see us, it is only right that we disappear.”

Namgung Dowi looked around at everyone here with meaningful eyes.

“As the young lord of Namgung… and as the acting head of the clan, representing the absent head of the clan!” His voice spread out grandly.

“From this moment on, the Namgung Clan will withdraw from the Five Great Families and move its allegiance to the Cheonwoo Alliance.”

“N, Namgung Benefactor!” A scream-like voice burst from Beopjeong’s mouth.

He thought they would naturally feel animosity towards the Nine Sects, but how could Beopjeong have known that they would make such a declaration in this place?

“This is not something to decide emotionally!”

“Yes, it must be rational. Like the Abbot, who thoroughly watched over Plum Blossom Island from here, it must be rational!”

“……”

Namgung Dowi, facing the speechless Beopjeong, bared his teeth and spat out the words.

“So, when you claim that the Cheonwoo Alliance has colluded with the Demonic Factions, please be sure to say this as well. Say that the Namgung Clan has also become the lackeys of the Demonic Faction bastards.”

“……”

“Take care, Abbot.”

As if he didn’t want to exchange any more words, Namgung Dowi turned his body sharply.

Beopjeong’s face turned pale.

‘T, this cannot be.’

He must not let the Namgung Clan go to the Cheonwoo Alliance. No, even if Namgung were to join the Cheonwoo Alliance, it must not be now!

Who would believe him?

The moment Namgung joins the Cheonwoo Alliance, all the words Beopjeong had spoken would become nonsense. Even the fact that he had suspected the Cheonwoo Alliance would become a scandal!

All the justification would be taken by the Cheonwoo Alliance, and the status of Shaolin and the Nine Sects would be buried in a dung heap, without a doubt.

He had to stop that. He had to!

“Namgung Benefactor! Think again! Namgung….”

“Stop it!” At that moment, someone grabbed Beopjeong’s shoulder.

Turning around, he saw Jongri-hyung, who had approached him unnoticed, shaking his head with a distorted face.

“Now is not the time, Abbot.”

“…Sect Leader.”

“It’s not that raising suspicions is wrong. But isn’t there a time and place for that? There are wounded groaning over there. If the Abbot, who should be discussing the compassion of Buddhism, prioritizes revealing the truth of the incident and saving Shaolin’s face over treating the wounded, how will the world view the Abbot?”

“Your words are excessive!” Beopjeong shouted, his face reddening.

Jongri-hyung bit his lip tightly. If he had his way, he wouldn’t want to stop here. He honestly wanted to hurl even more abusive language.

But he couldn’t. No matter how ugly they looked, Shaolin was the North Star of the Nine Sects.

And the Mount Hua Sect was a sect among the Nine Sects that had nowhere else to turn but Shaolin.

Maintaining relations with Shaolin was necessary for him, whether he liked it or not, and further criticism was impossible.

“…Just let them go for now, Abbot.” Instead of pushing further, he lowered his voice and whispered.

“Aren’t there many eyes watching?”

At those words, Beopjeong reflexively turned around. The beggars of the Beggars’ Sect, standing behind Shaolin and Mount Hua, were watching this scene with shining eyes.

Their job was to spread words to every corner of the world. Even if those words were controlled by the Beggars’ Sect Leader, they could not completely block those many eyes and mouths.

And no matter how he looked at it, their eyes were not friendly towards him. If he pushed things further here, he didn’t know what words would come out of their mouths and spread throughout the world.

‘Damn it.’

Beopjeong bit his lip. His fist, hidden beneath his sleeve, trembled.

Now he had no choice but to admit it. The mistake he had made on this Yangtze River was too great. But even so, wasn’t the price too severe and cruel?

Beopjeong felt like beating his chest in frustration.

They too had rushed to this distant place to save Namgung. Why couldn’t they understand that Shaolin also had good intentions towards Namgung?

“Then, take care, Abbot.” Hyun Jong deeply clasped his hands towards Beopjeong.

That utmost courtesy seemed to show his determination not to give them any reason to find fault, even until the moment he left.

Soon, he straightened his body, turned around without waiting for Beopjeong’s greeting, and shouted.

“Arrange accommodations and move the wounded!”

“Yes, Sect Leader!” The members of the Cheonwoo Alliance, who had glanced at the disciples of the Nine Sects, began to move busily according to Hyun Jong’s instructions. Tang Gunak, who had been guarding his position until the end, also cast an extremely cold gaze at Beopjeong before turning his body.

Beopjeong stared straight ahead with bloodshot eyes. His body trembled with extreme humiliation.

The perfectly aligned Cheonwoo Alliance moved away from them in perfect order.

‘In the end….’

Blood oozed from his tightly bitten lips.

‘Is this how it ends?’

Beopjeong didn’t want to admit it. But at this point, he had no choice but to admit it.

‘I cannot embrace them.’

When there was friction with Hwasan, he was furious, but in any case, in one corner of his heart, there remained the thought that he would eventually lead the Cheonwoo Alliance on the right path. He thought that the disputes caused by temporary differences of opinion would naturally be resolved over time.

But at this moment, he realized for sure.

They were never people who could go together with the Nine Sects.

“…In the end, it’s as he said.”

“Yes?”

“No. It’s nothing.”

Beopjeong’s eyes contained a chilling coldness, unlike a Buddhist.

Today, at this very moment.

An irreparable crack was created between the Nine Sects and the Cheonwoo Alliance, the two major forces representing the justice of the Jianghu.

No one knew where this crack, which occurred in a chaotic world where the Demonic Factions were rampant, would lead the Jianghu.