Return of the Mount Hua

This is my role. (4)

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An unbearable surge of fury erupted. Beop Gye’s eyes blazed with rage.

Up until now, he had tolerated that man’s arrogance. There had been a clear justification for punishing him if his conduct crossed the line.

But this – this act had clearly gone too far.

“Siju.”

Beop Gye’s voice rumbled like a growl.

It was shockingly low and ferocious, hardly believable that it came from a Buddhist monk.

“This is Shaolin’s affair.”

“…”

“It’s not something an outsider should interfere in. Do you understand?”

Chung Myung stared silently at Beop Gye.

“You may have acted without fully grasping the situation, so I won’t hold you accountable for attacking a disciple of Shaolin. But if you interfere again, I will regard it as an attack on Shaolin itself.”

“…”

“So step back. This is not something you can handle!”

The reason Beop Gye went out of his way to say this was because he hadn’t forgotten that this place was Hwasan.

As someone tasked with enforcing Shaolin’s discipline even within another sect’s domain, this was the minimum courtesy he could offer.

Therefore, that swordsman of Hwasan would naturally understand the situation and retreat.

Anyone with even a shred of sense would know what it means to obstruct Shaolin’s ceremony.

However… what came next completely shattered his expectations.

“Seems to me the one who doesn’t understand is you.”

“…”

In that moment, Beop Gye’s eyes widened slightly.

“This is Hwasan,”

Chung Myung said, baring his teeth.

“If anyone wants to harm someone within Hwasan, they need permission from Hwasan’s Sect Leader. That’s the law.”

“…”

“So get your hands off our bald one and step back. Before I cut off more than just your hand.”

Beop Gye’s face twisted in a grotesque grimace.

“…How dare you!”

His fury had reached such a peak that he was on the verge of losing all reason.

What had happened inside that room, at least, was part of a negotiation process. But this? This was different. This was a threat – a clash of power.

Since when did Shaolin need the permission of another sect to conduct its own ceremonies? In a thousand years of Shaolin’s history, no such precedent existed.

Of course, enforcing Shaolin’s discipline within another sect’s territory might be overstepping the bounds. But even so, it was within a realm where mutual understanding could be expected!

And yet that man – he now refused even that understanding and dared to draw his sword.

If this wasn’t a challenge to Shaolin, then what was?

“Do you truly understand what your actions mean right now? I told you this was not something you could handle.”

Beop Gye’s voice surged with wrath. But Chung Myung only twisted his lips in amusement, as if it were all laughable.

“ ‘Not something you could handle?’ ”

It was a blatant sneer. So obvious, so bare, it was impossible to ignore.

Beop Gye’s face flushed bright red – he had never been mocked so openly in his life.

“You’ve got a mouth, and you sure don’t hesitate to run it.”

Chung Myung cracked his neck from side to side.

“Looks like you don’t know me very well, but I’ve never come across something I couldn’t handle.”

“…”

“So why don’t we find out now – whether or not I can handle this?”

Beop Gye clenched his teeth.

That outrageously arrogant brat certainly had a pardon in hand. After all, it was undeniable that he alone had upheld the pride of the Just Sects during the Yangtze River Disaster.

But this – this was not something that could be dismissed with that deed as a shield.

“You’ve crossed the line, Siju. No matter how much this is Hwasan, do you truly believe that Hwasan can protect you?”

“Don’t kid yourself, Baldy.”

“What…?”

“It’s not me that Hwasan is protecting right now – it’s you lot.”

Chung Myung bared his teeth.

“If this weren’t Hwasan, if I weren’t a disciple of Hwasan, your head would’ve been rolling a long time ago. Along with that Abbot standing next to you.”

Beop Gye’s mouth dropped open in disbelief.

“So get lost. Before I run out of patience. There is a limit to what a person can endure.”

“…”

Beop Gye stood speechless, staring blankly at Chung Myung with eyes that seemed unable to believe what he was seeing.

At the very least… there was one thing he could be absolutely sure of.

‘This man is insane.’

Who in the world would dare say such things in front of the Abbot of Shaolin?

Not even Paegun of Sapaeryeon would have dared to speak like this.

What is Shaolin?

Although the tides of Gangho have shifted and its influence is not what it once was, that does not mean the power Shaolin holds has lessened.

Even now, Shaolin of today is no different from the one that led Gangho for hundreds of years.

And yet, this man – he was outright denying and trampling all over that very authority of Shaolin!

It was so utterly absurd that Beop Gye couldn’t even feel anger anymore.

He had no idea what to say.

All he could do was tremble uncontrollably, as if stricken with a seizure, while glaring at Chung Myung.

“Siju!”

At that moment, an unexpected voice rang out. It was Hye Yeon.

He shouted urgently.

“This is Shaolin’s matter! I understand your heart, but if you care for me, please do not interfere-”

“What’s he babbling about? Shut it, Baldy!”

“…”

Hye Yeon flinched, looking flustered as he stared at Chung Myung.

“I’ll handle it, so keep your damn mouth shut!”

“A, Amita…”

And then. 

Just then, Beop Jong – who had remained silent until now – finally spoke.

“Hwasan Geomhyeop.”

The gazes of the two clashed fiercely in the air.

“Don’t be unreasonable.”

“…”

“In this world, gaining something always means losing something else. If you’ve chosen to oppose Shaolin, then you no longer have the right to involve yourself in Shaolin’s internal affairs.”

His voice was utterly cold.

“This is no different from the consequences of your own choice. If you’ve made a choice, you should also learn to bear its cost.”

At a glance, the tone sounded like calm persuasion.

But within it was the full weight of the Abbot of the thousand-year-old Shaolin – strength and authority infused in every word.

Any ordinary person would have crumbled under the pressure of that voice and stepped back on their own.

But the one standing before him was Chung Myung.

“You’re absolutely right.”

“…What did you just say?”

Chung Myung looked at Beop Jong with eyes full of indifference and spoke.

“I said you’re absolutely right. As you said, everything in this world comes with a price. So let me ask you…”

Chung Myung paused briefly, then let out a crooked smile and chuckled.

“What price do you intend to pay… for injuring someone within Hwasan’s domain?”

Beop Jong stared at Chung Myung with a blank expression.

“Until now, I have…”

His voice, laced with killing intent, began to tighten around Chung Myung like a noose.

“I have shown you great mercy.”

“…”

“But this is no longer just a matter between you and me. If you continue to involve yourself in this, it will not be I who grows angry – it will be Shaolin. And the one who must bear the brunt of that anger will not be you, but Hwasan.”

Chung Myung’s eyes grew darker and heavier with each word.

Then, as if to drive the nail in, Beop Jong’s final words echoed through Hwasan.

“Let me ask you.”

The aura radiating from his body was nothing short of overwhelming.

“Is your Hwasan…”

“…”

“Truly prepared to withstand the wrath of Shaolin?”

His eyes no longer looked upon a fellow traveler of the same path.

They were the eyes one reserved for an enemy – pure and unfiltered hostility.

He was saying, with nothing more than his gaze, that everything now depended on how Chung Myung answered.

Whether Hwasan and Shaolin would truly become enemies – or not.

It was an immensely heavy question.

And the answer had to be even heavier.

Yet Chung Myung remained completely unshaken.

“Prepared to make Shaolin an enemy, is it…”

He murmured for a moment, then let out a faint chuckle.

“I don’t think I’m the one who’ll be answering that question.”

“…Hmm?”

At that moment.

Step. Step. Step.

A man slowly walked forward and stood beside Chung Myung.

It was Baek Cheon.

He glared at Beop Jong with eyes as sharp as a finely honed blade.

And then another joined him – Yu Iseol, who filled the empty space beside Chung Myung, maintaining her characteristically impassive face.

Her expression was as devoid of emotion as if it had been wiped clean, but her hand rested on the hilt at her waist.

There could be no clearer expression of resolve.

And they weren’t the only ones.

Yoon Jong approached calmly and stood beside Baek Cheon, while Jo Geol, practically vibrating with the urge to charge, filled the space next to Yu Iseol.

Before long, Tang Soso, Baek Sang, and even the other disciples of Hwasan who had been watching from afar began to close the distance, forming a wall that surrounded Beop Jong and Beop Gye.

Their eyes said it all – clear and unwavering.

“Is this… the will of Hwasan?”

Beop Jong asked.

At that moment, there was only one person present who could give that answer.

“I don’t know the full story, Abbot. Nor you, Elder.”

Baek Cheon briefly glanced at the two men before turning his gaze to Hye Yeon.

“But… what I do know is this – whether it’s right or wrong, Hwasan doesn’t know how to abandon a comrade who fought and bled beside us.”

Beop Jong clenched his fist.

Baek Cheon’s voice held not a trace of hesitation, and his gaze was steady and unwavering.

“Even if it means making an enemy of Shaolin, it doesn’t matter. Hwasan would rather die with our comrade than survive by turning our backs on them. That is…”

He declared it calmly.

“That is what Hwasan learned from the ancestors of a hundred years ago.”

As Baek Cheon’s words ended, Chung Myung suddenly looked up at the sky.

‘…Sahyeong.’

A hundred years ago… that had been, truly, a spectacularly foolish act.

It was something filled only with regret.

But now, their descendants were speaking of that very event.

They claimed to have learned from a past Chung Myung had believed to be nothing but a heap of failure.

‘Perhaps we…’

A small smile formed at the corner of Chung Myung’s lips.

‘…weren’t so foolish after all.’

Beop Jong, unable to hide his anger, spoke through clenched teeth.

“Do you have the right to say such words, Hwasan Jeonggeom?”

“Of course, Abbot.”

The reply didn’t come from Baek Cheon – it came from someone else.

“Every disciple of Hwasan may speak on behalf of Hwasan. Because that is what our sect teaches us.”

“…Sect Leader.”

Hyun Jong had approached unnoticed. His expression hardened the moment he saw Hye Yeon still kneeling on the ground.

“Though Monk Hye Yeon may not be a disciple of Hwasan, Hwasan does not distinguish between disciples and comrades. If you intend to harm him, then, Abbot… you will be facing all of Hwasan.”

The moment that soft yet resolute voice rang out, Hye Yeon’s shoulders began to tremble uncontrollably.

Unable to hold it back, tears began to fall from Hye Yeon’s large eyes as he bowed his head.

Beop Jong glared at him, then spoke.

“So, Sect Leader… it seems you take Shaolin lightly.”

“That is not the case.”

“If not, how dare you interfere in Shaolin’s punishment of its own disciple? You will come to regret this, Sect Leader.”

“Ha!”

Suddenly, laughter burst from Chung Myung’s mouth.

Beop Jong scowled and asked,

“…What’s so funny?”

Chung Myung, his shoulders shaking as if he couldn’t suppress his laughter, shook his head.

“It seems the Abbot still doesn’t understand Hwasan.”

“You’re saying I do not understand?”

His face showed confusion. What was left to misunderstand at this point?

Chung Myung laughed a little longer before kindly explaining,

“If you truly don’t know, then allow me to explain. Listen closely. Hwasan is the sect that fought against Maninbang even when we had nothing. When everyone else was scrambling to save their own lives, we were the ones who kept fighting Sapaeryeon to the very end.”

“…”

At those words, the disciples of Hwasan snorted and chuckled.

“That’s not even the half of it. Didn’t we trade blows with Demonic Cult a hundred years ago?”

“Now that you mention it, yeah.”

“At this point, isn’t ‘fearlessness’ kind of our tradition?”

Watching the disciples of Hwasan suddenly laughing among themselves, Beop Jong couldn’t hide his look of utter disbelief.

“Such is Hwasan.”

At that moment, Chung Myung’s voice forcefully dragged Beop Jong’s gaze back to him.

“You really think a place like Shaolin still counts as a threat to us?”

“…”

“Sorry, but here it’s a sect full of lunatics who, if they aren’t convinced, will fight – whether it’s against Demonic Cult or anything else”

“Ahem.”

“Okay, maybe that’s a bit much.”

“Yeah, you’re going too far.”

Chung Myung casually ignored the other disciples’ protests.

“So if you’re going to threaten someone, pick your target more wisely.”

The sound of Beop Jong grinding his teeth filled the air with a chilling intensity.

“And… just in case you didn’t know, let me give you a piece of advice – so make sure you remember it.”

Chung Myung’s cold gaze pierced through Beop Jong.

“There are sects in history that stood against Shaolin and survived. But not one has ever survived after making Hwasan their enemy.”

“…”

“So enough with the empty threats. Get out of Hwasan – before my patience runs out.”

Veins bulged across Beop Jong’s face, turning it an alarming shade of blue.

At this point, he looked less like a monk serving the Buddha and more like an asura from hell.

“Shaolin…”

With bloodshot eyes, he spoke in a low voice.

“…will not forget today’s humiliation.”

“As you please.”

He took in the faces of Chung Myung, Hyun Jong, and every single disciple of Hwasan as if etching them into his memory. Then, after casting one last glare at the still-kneeling Hye Yeon, he spun on his heel without a word.

“A-Abbot!”

“Let’s go!”

Turning away into the cold wind, he strode off with long steps, leading Beop Gye as he left Hwasan.

“Uh…”

Hye Yeon stared in disbelief at Beop Jong’s back as it grew distant, leaving him behind. Just then, someone suddenly grabbed his shoulder.

“…Jo, Jo Geol Dojang.”

“Why are you kneeling here getting dirt on your knees? Come on, get up.”

“I…”

Yoon Jong also smiled as he took Hye Yeon’s other shoulder and helped lift him up.

“Looks like our monk is in big trouble now. Doesn’t seem like you can go back to Shaolin anymore.”

“…”

Hye Yeon bit his lip hard.

How could he possibly express what he was feeling?

“…Thank you.”

No matter how hard he searched for the words, that was all he could say.

Baek Cheon silently patted his shoulder, offering a soft smile.

Of course, they couldn’t help but worry about what might come next. But even so…

‘There’s no reason to hesitate in doing what must be done.’

Chung Myung’s words, Hyun Jong’s words – those had carved a path in their hearts.

“If it is not righteous, it is not Hwasan.”

This must be the will that Hwasan is meant to carry on.

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