Return of the Mount Hua

I didn’t see anything. (1)

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Beop Jong’s fingertips trembled.

“I…”

Seeing Chung Myung , who had poured out his words and turned away, he felt like he had swallowed burning charcoal. But there was nothing he could do. He knew too well how futile it would be to grab onto Chung Myung , who had already turned away, just to refute those words.

‘Hwasan Geomhyeop!’

The atmosphere had completely changed. Now, no one dared to counter Chung Myung’s words. Even if Beop Jong raised his voice, at least in this place, his logic wouldn’t prevail.

Therefore, Abbot redirected his arrow to someone other than Chung Myung.

“Is this… Is this the will of Cheonumaeng?”

He stared squarely at Hyun Jong and Tang Gunak, making an effort not to let his voice tremble.

No matter how weighty Hwasan Geomhyeop’s words might seem, he hadn’t even officially received a position within Cheonumaeng. His words couldn’t represent their will.

Ultimately, Cheonumaeng’s will was determined by Hyun Jong and Tang Gunak.

Beop Jong pressured the two of them with a forceful manner.

“Please answer. Is this truly the will of Cheonumaeng?”

Hyun Jong looked back at him with a composed face.

“Calling it the will of Cheonumaeng may be a bit excessive, but, well…”

Beop Jong’s face contorted in response to that vague answer.

“Sect Leader!”

Desperately, he hurried Hyun Jong, but he just slowly shook his head.

“Just as this child said, even if we were given another chance, we would have headed to Maehwado without hesitation.”

“……”

“We have no regrets about what we did. If the world condemns us, isn’t that something we can’t avoid? Initially, everything we did wasn’t meant to be shown to the world – we had to be prepared for criticism.”

Abbot stared at Hyun Jong with wide-open eyes.

What on earth was this?

Not meant to be shown to the world? Prepared for criticism?

Could these words come from the mouth of someone leading a martial faction, let alone an alliance?

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

“Abbot.”

Hyun Jong sighed and spoke.

“There’s nothing perfect in this world.”

“……”

“That’s why there’s nothing completely right either. So, we can only question ourselves. Whether I am truly on the right path now.”

Hyun Jong’s words might not have been a direct challenge to Beop Jong. However, he felt as if Hyun Jong’s question implied,

‘Do you really think you are right?’

An unbearable discomfort gnawed at him.

On the other hand, Hyun Jong’s gaze remained unwavering. What it harbored was unwavering self-confidence.

“My heart tells me that I have done the right thing. So, why should I care about others’ opinions? Please don’t impose the ways of Shaolin on us. Cheonumaeng will act in accordance with what we believes is right.”

“……”

“I think that should suffice for an answer. Then.”

Hyun Jong stepped back.

Of course, Beop Jong wanted to keep him there. He knew that he couldn’t let Cheonumaeng go like this.

But he couldn’t. Someone who had come from behind Hyun Jong was approaching Beop Jong.

The person had turned the originally pristine white robes into a deep crimson with their own spilled blood. With every limping step, there was a profound resentment.

No matter how desperate the Abbot was, he couldn’t ignore him and keep Hyun Jong here. It was none other than Namgung Dowi.

“……Young Lord.”

Namgung Dowi, standing in front of the Abbot, glared at him with eyes filled with bitterness.

Why wouldn’t he?

Shaolin had thoroughly betrayed Namgung’s expectations.

Perhaps it would have been forgivable if he hadn’t revealed himself by the riverside, but it was an unforgivable situation to come this far and just watch Namgung being thoroughly humiliated. Of course, Beop Jong had his reasons, but would that matter to Namgung, who had endured that hell?

Abbot never even considered the idea that he could be forgiven by Namgung. Yet, facing Namgung Dowi, who was probably harboring the most intense hatred towards Shaolin among Namgung’s people, his words were stuck in his throat.

As the Abbot struggled to find words and hesitated, Namgung Dowi spoke first.

“… Righteousness.”

A bitter laugh escaped his lips.

“If we go by what the Abbot says, then it seems our Namgung Clan exchanged our wretched lives for a dirty alliance with Sapaeryeon and Cheonumaeng.”

“Lo… Lord.”

“What should we do?”

From his clenched and silent demeanor, intense hostility emanated from Namgung Dowi’s eyes.

“Thanks to this dirty alliance, we managed to survive with our pitiful lives. Now, should we end it by taking our own lives to regain our honor?”

“Namgung, Lord. I mean…”

“Hahaha… Hahahaha.”

Namgung Dowi burst into a twisted laughter.

“Those who should’ve died are back, causing an inconvenience for the Abbot. I apologize.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Really?”

Namgung Dowi spoke, as if questioning when he last laughed.

His eyes held a question: Did Shaolin really hope for Namgung’s return from that island? Did they not wish for the demise of Namgung Clan from the moment they gave up on rescuing them?

Beop Jong couldn’t answer that question.

If it was only Namgung Dowi as the issue, they could have dealt with him somehow. But with the survivors from Namgung who had come to their senses and were all watching him as if he was their sworn enemy, what could he say in their midst?

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

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

Namgung Dowi looked around everyone with meaningful eyes.

“As the Young Lord of Namgung Clan… and as the an acting Lord of the Clan representing currently absent Lord of Namgung!”

His voice resonated strongly.

“From this moment on, Namgung Clan will withdraw from Five Great Families and transfer his loyalty to Cheonumaeng.”

“I… Namgung Clan Lord!”

A cry close to a scream escaped Abbot’s lips.

He thought that the disciples of Namgung would feel resentment, but how could Beop Jong have known that they would make such a declaration in this place?

“This is not a decision to make emotionally!”

“Yes, we have to be rational. As you’ve been while watching over Mahwado here rationalizing you reasons.”

“…”

Facing the speechless Beop Jong, Namgung Dowi bared his teeth and expressed his words forcefully.

“So, when you claim that Cheonumaeng ooperated with Sapaeryeon, make sure to include this: Namgung Clan became Sapae’s main target.”

Beop Jong remained silent.

“Take care, Abbot.”

As if he didn’t want to engage further, Namgung Dowi turned away.

Abbot’s face grew even paler.

‘This is unacceptable. Namgung Clan must not join Cheonumaeng, not now. No one will believe it. If Namgung joins them now, everything he has said would become nonsense. Even the fact that he doubted Cheonumaeng will be seen as a conspiracy. All legitimacy will go to them, and Shaolin and ten great sects’ positions will be buried in ash.’

He needed to prevent that, at all costs.

“Namgung, reconsider! Namgung…”

“Stop!”

At that moment, someone grabbed Beop Jong’s shoulder.

When he turned around, Jonglihyeong had come close and was shaking his head with a distorted face.

“Now is not the time, Abbot.”

“Sect Leader…”

“I’m not saying it’s wrong to raise suspicions. However, isn’t there a right time and place for that? Look at the injured people over there. Abbot, if you prioritize clearing up the incident and restoring Shaolin’s reputation over the care of the injured, how will the world see you? If you put the injured’s treatment before discussing unexpected mercy, would the world still look at you kindly?”

“That’s an exaggeration!”

Beop Jong shouted, his face turning red.

Jonglihyeong bit his lips. He wanted to continue and express more candid thoughts, but he couldn’t. No matter how embarrassing the situation looked, Kongtong was a part of nine great sects. Moreover Shaolin was still the Northern star of the Nine great sects.

Whether he liked it or not, he had to maintain the relationship with Shaolin. He couldn’t push it any further.

“…For now, just let it go, Abbot.”

Instead of pushing further, he lowered his voice to a whisper.

“Don’t we have enough eyes watching?”

At his words, Beop Jong instinctively turned around. The beggars of the Beggars Sect were behind Shaolin and Kongtong, their eyes gleaming as they observed the situation.

They spread words far and wide throughout the world, and even though those words were controlled to some extent by Gupailbang, they couldn’t possibly block all those eyes and mouths. And no matter how he looked at it, their eyes didn’t seem friendly to him. If he pushed it any further here, who knew what might come out of their mouths and spread throughout the world?

‘Damn it,’

Beop Jong bit his lips. His clenched fist, hidden under his sleeve, trembled.

He had to admit it now. The mistake he has made on the bank of Yangtze river was too big. But even so, wasn’t the price too severe and cruel?

The Abbot felt an overwhelming sense of injustice and wanted to beat his chest.

They had also traveled this long distance to save Namgung. Why didn’t they acknowledge that Shaolin also had goodwill towards Namgung?

“Then please be considerate of the current situation, Abbot.”

Hyun Jong deeply bowed to Beop Jong.

His profound bow seemed to show that he would not be caught until he left.

Finally, he stood up and, without waiting for Abbot’s acknowledgment, turned around and shouted,

“Spread the word to search for lodgings and move the wounded!”

“Yes, Sect Leader!”

After catching a glimpse of the disciples of the nine sects, Cheonumaeng’s followers began to move busily according to Hyun Jongs orders. Tang Gunak, who stayed until the end, also cast an extremely cold gaze at the Abbot and turned away.

The Abbot stared ahead with bloodshot eyes, trembling with intense shame.

“In the end…”

Blood oozed from the lips of his stuttering mouth.

“So is it going to be like this in the end?”

Beop Jong didn’t want to admit it, but at this point, he had no choice but to acknowledge it.

‘I cannot accept them.’

When there was friction between Shaolin and Hwasan he was furious, but in a corner of his mind, he still believed that he would eventually lead Cheonumaeng o the right path. He thought their differences of opinions would naturally be reconciled over time. However, at this moment, he became certain.

They were never meant to go with Gupailbang.

“…In the end, it’s as he said.”

“What?”

“Nothing. It’s nothing.”

Abbot’s gaze held a chill that was uncharacteristic of a Buddhist.

Today, at this very moment, an irreparable rift had formed between Gupailbang and Cheonumaeng, the two major factions representing justice in the martial world. Where this rift, born amidst the chaotic times, would lead the martial world, no one could tell.

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