Return of the Mount Hua Sect

Hyun Jong pretended not to notice the ominous feeling in his heart at that moment and asked as calmly as possible.

“Yes, Maengju.”

“What kind of…”

Bop Jeong shook his head leisurely.

“Before that, I think we need to organize the situation first.”

“…Yes, Bangjang.”

“As you know, Magyo has risen in Hangzhou. According to the information we received through Beggar Union, Magyo is slaughtering not only Black Ghost Fortress currently ruling Hangzhou, but also the commoners in Hangzhou.”

Hyun Jong bit his lips tightly.

He had already guessed this to some extent, but hearing it from the mouth of Bop Jeong felt different.

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“Is that information reliable?”

“This is news that came from Beggar Union a little while ago. They may not have a complete grasp of the situation in Hangzhou, but it seems certain that a terrible massacre is taking place there.”

“…What should we do about this…”

Hyun Jong continuously muttered Tao’s prayers in deep despair.

Chung Myung’s words about people dying while they hesitated turned out to be correct.

“How large is the enemy force?”

“That’s uncertain. As you know, since Beggar Union is part of Ten Great Sects, they mostly withdrew three years ago.”

“That makes sense.”

Ordinary beggars are also under the influence of Beggar Union, so there will be no problem in receiving information about the situation. However, there’s naturally a difference when Beggar Union members directly confirm the situation.

“Maengju.”

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“Yes, Bangjang. Please speak.”

“As you know, the rise of Magyo is something that all people of Kangho must address. Didn’t our ancestors join forces to deal with Magyo, regardless of Righteous Sects affair, whenever Magyo emerged?”

Hyun Jong nodded heavily.

“Especially as Sect Leader of Mount Hua, Maengju understands well how fearsome Magyo is.”

“…Of course.”

Bop Jeong seemed to be thirsty for a moment and quenched his thirst with a sip from the tea.

“As you know, I have been on high alert for the rise of Magyo. For they are beings who may retreat but never go away.”

Hyun Jong also had no choice but to acknowledge these words.

Even when Mount Hua forgot about the existence of Magyo, wasn’t it Bop Jeong who asked them to go to the North Sea in pursuit of Magyo’s traces?

Nowadays, much of the trust he had in Bop Jeong back then has disappeared, but at least the fact that he had been wary of Magyo couldn’t be denied.

“Now that they have shown their fangs, I plan to use everything at my disposal to eradicate the roots of Magyo. It is a duty that everyone living in Kangho must bear.”

Hyun Jong nodded his head loudly.

He had been anxious all the way here. Given the many disagreements with Bop Jeong, he couldn’t easily shake off the anxiety that had taken root in his heart.

However, at least as far as Magyo was concerned, it seemed that his will and Bop Jeong’s will were not that different.

Hyun Jong barely breathed a sigh of relief.

“That’s why I must express my gratitude to you, Maengju.”

At that time, Bop Jeong bowed deeply towards Hyun Jong. It was a private gesture of gratitude, a gratitude expressed not as a Shaolin’s Bangjang, but as a human being.

“Wh- Why are you being like this. Bangjang!”

When Hyun Jong was perplexed, Bop Jeong raised his head and smiled warmly.

“No matter how kindly I speak, it cannot be denied that there is an unprecedented awkwardness between Maengju and myself, can it?”

“Yes….”

“The reason Maengju took that difficult step was only for the well-being of this Kangho and the lives of commoners. As a monk and a person of Kangho, I have no choice but to be grateful for Maengju’s decision.”

“Please don’t do this, Bangjang. It makes me feel embarrassed. Isn’t it all too natural?”

Bop Jeong continued to nod while chanting a mantra. He closed his eyes and chanted like that for a while, then slowly opened his eyes and looked at Hyun Jong with a deeply sunken gaze.

“However, I must say, Maengju.”

“Yes.”

“First of all, based on the information we’ve gathered, I plan to request cooperation from the Ten Great Sects and other sects throughout the world. It might not be enough with just those of us here, so gathering strength as soon as possible is crucial.”

“Heavenly Comrade Alliance will also actively cooperate.”

In response to Hyun Jong’s firm answer, Bop Jeong spoke in a serious voice.

“However… because of the problem I mentioned earlier.”

“Yes. Please tell me.”

“Let me point out once again: this is a matter of urgency. There’s no time to weigh and consider various factors. To save the commoners and suppress Magyo’s momentum, someone must head to Gangnam immediately. The damage will be too great if we just wait and watch leisurely. It never occurs to me that Evil Tyrant Alliance will do anything for the poor commoners.”

“Hmm.”

That was indeed a valid point.

“But Maengju.”

“Yes, Bangjang.”

“As you know, Shaolin cannot cross the Yangtze now.”

“…Yes?”

At that moment, Hyun Jong’s complexion drastically changed.

“The cursed Gangnam Non-Aggression Pact has not yet reached its effective period. So now, Ten Great Sects is in a position where we cannot cross the Yangtze and deal with Magyo.”

“N- No, Bangjang. That’s….”

Hyun Jong looked at Bop Jeong with a face that was unable to hide his dismay.

“Now is not the time to be concerned with such a pact!”

“Of course, I think so too. But, Maengju, it’s not for us to decide, is it?”

Bop Jeong let out a deep sigh.

“I don’t know if Jang Ilso of Evil Tyrant Alliance is willing to give up something small for the greater good like Maengju, however, he will likely seek to benefit from this pact in any way he can. Moreover, is it even possible to have a dialogue with him?”

Now Hyun Jong’s gaze on Bop Jeong was stunned. Hyun Jong said.

“If Jang Ilso had no intention of seeking help from Ten Great Sects, why would he have bothered to spread the news of Magyo?”

“It’s hard to speculate on his intentions hastily. After all, we’re dealing with Jang Ilso, aren’t we?”

“That….”

Hyun Jong bit his lip.

This is checkmate.

Hyun Jong knows well the situation that Shaolin is in and his own predicament. Therefore, he shouldn’t suggest that ‘Jang Ilso knows the circumstances, so try negotiating with him.’

But if he doesn’t say that….

It was right at that moment.

“So.”

Bop Jeong began to broach the main subject with a subtle voice.

“Forgive me, but I must ask Maengju for a difficult favor.”

Hyun Jong clenched his fists without realizing it.

He seemed to grasp what Bop Jeong was about to say. He wanted to leave this place immediately.

However, the voices in Bop Jeong inadvertently penetrated Hyun Jong’s ears without even giving him time to stand up.

“As far as I know, Heavenly Comrade Alliance is not restricted by the Gangnam Non-Aggression Pact.”

“…Bangjang.”

“Please, Maengju.”

Bop Jeong once again bowed his head to Hyun Jong.

“This is for the lives of the suffering commoners of Gangnam. It may be difficult, but couldn’t Heavenly Comrade Alliance cross the river and confront Magyo first?”

“….”

Hyun Jong, who tightened his fists so hard that his nails dug into his palms, glared at Bop Jeong with a boiling gaze.

“…May I ask one thing?”

“Of course.”

“…The request Bangjang made was….”

Hyun Jong’s words seemed to stop as he suppressed his boiling anger.

“…Is it really for the good of the commoners of Gangnam? Or is it to drive my Heavenly Comrade Alliance to death?”

“Of course, it’s the former.”

Bop Jeong spoke clearly as if he had nothing to think about. Seeing that resolute attitude, Hyun Jong bit his lip until it bled.

“Is that Bangjang’s… No, is that Shaolin’s will?”

“That’s right.”

“Really!”

Hyun Jong raises his voice.

“Is that really Shaolin’s will?”

Bop Jeong gave no reply. Hyun Jong spat out his words as if chewing them.

“I thought our paths were just different. Of course, there were times of resentment and anger, but I believed those were just because we looked at the world differently! I thought all of that was happening because we all have different ways of caring for the world!”

“….”

“I believed that our hearts, wishing for the well-being of all under heaven, were not different. Because Shaolin is such a place! It must be such a place! But is that really Shaolin’s will? Really?”

Bop Jeong looked at Hyun Jong with an enigmatic gaze. The words he then uttered were enough to send Hyun Jong’s sense flying far away.

“It is difficult for this monk to guess why Maengju is so infuriated.”

“…What now….”

“That day!”

Bop Jeong’s stern voice stopped Hyun Jong from speaking.

“That day, when we faced each other across the Yangtze River, did you not clearly tell me? That Heavenly Comrade Alliance would do what it believes is right?”

“….”

“It was a bitter word, but at the same time, part of me admired it. Because I know how difficult it is to uphold such a statement. But now…”

Bop Jeong continued with a smile.

“Now that I see it, it seems that the ‘righteousness’ Heavenly Comrade Alliance speaks of slightly changes its meaning depending on the situation.”

“Bop Jeong!”

In the end, Hyun Jong, unable to suppress his anger, stood up abruptly from his seat. Then Bop Jeong stated coldly.

“15 days.”

“….”

“It is the time left until the Yangtze River Non-Aggression Pact ends. From now, fifteen days.”

“….”

“The moment that fifteen days pass, Ten Great Sects and Five Great Family will immediately cross the Yangtze to punish Magyo. So, Maengju just has to choose. Whether to cross the river first or…”

Bop Jeong’s icy gaze glanced at Hyun Jong.

“…wait here for fifteen days until Ten Great Sects make our move.”

Unlike Hyun Jong, who was seething with rage, Bop Jeong took his time and picked up the teacup, which was still faintly steaming. His face was remarkably calm as he quenched his thirst.

“Maengju, I am also curious.”

“….”

“Whether it is true that the Righteousness and Chivalrousness Heavenly Comrade Alliance speaks of is carried out even in situations where they have to bear everything, or if it’s merely shallow trickery that surfaces only when convenient.”

“Right now, that’s….”

Bop Jeong reached out and gently pressed Hyun Jong’s teacup. The tea, which had been cooling down, immediately bubbled up.

“Of course, I…I sincerely hope that Heavenly Comrade Alliance is a place that truly carries out its Righteousness. This is my sincerity without lies.”

Hyun Jong glared at Bop Jeong in silence. No trace of trust in Bop Jeong could be found in his eyes anymore.

Bop Jeong continued.

“We will share the information coming in from Beggar Union with Maengju. If necessary, we will support you with everything Maengju needs, including supplies.”

The gazes of the two clashed in the air.

“So please make a wise decision.”

Hyun Jong’s eyes were filled with hatred and anger unbecoming of a Taoist.

“…We will depart.”

“Yes. Please take care.”

Hyun Jong immediately turned around. Then he walked with long strides and opened the closed door.

As he stepped outside, he heard Bop Jeong’s soft voice coming from behind.

“Please give my regards to Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword as well.”

“….”

Hyun Jong slammed the door and left without responding.

A mysterious smile appeared on the lips of Bop Jeong member who was left alone in the room.

“What a temper.”

His chant of Buddhist scripture echoed emptily in the serene room.