Return of the Mount Hua Sect

Bop Kye swallowed dry saliva and cautiously opened his mouth.

“It is not that this monk does not understand what Bangjang is talking about….”

Bop Jeong’s blade-like gaze penetrated Bop Kye.

For a moment, Bop Kye felt the urge to close his mouth and bit his lip, but he gritted his teeth and spoke again. He should not put off giving advice out of fear. If that happens, everything will really go wrong.

“Bangjang… If Bangjang were really concerned about the situation, wouldn’t it have been right to have a serious discussion when Mount Hua Sect Leader’s visit came? Blaming them after everything is done….”

“Discussion?”

A cold voice flowed from Bop Jeong’s mouth, interrupting Bop Kye’s words.

“Who should I have discussed it with?”

“Hyun Jong of Mount Hua….”

“Are you talking about that scarecrow?”

Bop Kye closed his eyes tightly.

No matter the circumstance, one should not call the head of another sect a puppet. These are words that would be extremely humiliating even for a small or medium-sized sect, but would they be even more humiliating for a sect the size of Mount Hua?

Bop Jeong is also not unaware of this fact. Befitting his supreme position as Bangjang of Shaolin, he has been extremely careful in his words and actions.

However, in recent years, Bop Jeong has frequently lost his senses in matters related to Mount Hua.

‘No….’

A strange light flickered in Bop Kye’s eyes.

Would the person named Bop Jeong he knew really use such an expression to someone out of simple hostility… Would he?

‘What am I thinking!’

Bop Kye quickly erased the doubts that arose in his mind. That was something completely unimaginable. How could it be that Bop Jeong, Bangjang of Shaolin, would feel any sense of rivalry towards Hyun Jong, who was merely the sect leader of Mount Hua Sect?

At that moment, Bop Jeong roared.

“What is the meaning of discussing this with Hyun Jong? Are you saying without knowing who really decides important matters in Mount Hua?”

“…That….”

“Hyun Jong might be unaware. As long as he’s just a good person, he may not be able to guess what it means for Mount Hua to go to Gangnam or how that despicable Jang Ilso would use them. But!”

Bop Jeong grits his teeth.

“That Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword! Do you think he really went to Gangnam without foreseeing all of this?”

Bop Kye shut his mouth like a clam. Bop Jeong scoffed openly.

“That can’t be possible. A man like him, with the cunning of ten serpents in his belly, wouldn’t have surely understood the dynamics at play? He went fully knowing it! Even though he knew it!”

Bop Kye did not dare to refute these words.

Considering the abilities of Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword that he had observed so far, it was even more strange that he hadn’t foreseen all this.

“Those who endlessly speak of Righteousness and protecting commoners couldn’t resist their fleeting sense of glory, and in doing so, they plunged the entire population of Gangnam into hell! This was our one chance to topple Evil Tyrant Alliance and liberate Gangnam! Like this, they squandered that golden opportunity!”

Bop Jeong’s face flushed red. The dignified old monk who had been pursuing the path of dharma moments ago was nowhere to be seen. (??? ??? ???? ?????. ?? ??? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ?? ??? ??? ?? ???.)

“Devious! They’re devious! I can see right through their schemes! With a bit of patience, enduring some disgrace, and waiting for the right moment, we could have brought peace to the world! And yet they ruined everything this way! Is this the way of Mount Hua?”

His anger was like a piercing frost.

“Furthermore!”

Bop Jeong’s hand, clutching the hem of his robe, trembled.

“Of all things, they joined forces with those Evil Sects scoundrels to commit such acts!”

“….”

“If Mount Hua had done all of this on his own instead of joining hands with Jang Ilso, I might have scorned their foolishness, but I wouldn’t have doubted their sincerity! However! How on earth should I accept the fact that those who advocated for Righteousness fought together with very leaders of Evil Sects? Those who died by Black Dragon Water Fortress and the vengeful spirit of Namgung who died at Plum Blossom Island are still wandering the afterlife! Yet they join hands with Evil Tyrant Alliance?”

Bop Jeong spoke as if spitting fire. His rage was so intense that even Bop Kye trembled involuntarily.

But what followed was not a cry of anger, but a hollow laugh.

“Ho…. hohoho….”

Bop Jeong suddenly burst into laughter and shook his head.

“It’s exhausting… Just exhausting.”

“…Bangjang.”

“Those who know nothing will now praise Mount Hua. And they will also praise Jang Ilso. They will say he defended Jungwon against the dreadful Magyo. And they will criticize us. They will ask where we were.”

Bop Kye fell silent.

Given the circumstances, those words weren’t wrong. Wasn’t it true that Shaolin had done nothing significant during the upheaval in Hangzhou?

No, to put it bluntly, Bop Kye was confused as to what role Shaolin played in the recent series of events that shook Kangho.

Aren’t they always taking a step back and waiting for the situation to ripen, only to have the spotlight stolen by those Evik Tyrant Alliance or Mount Hua?

Bop Kye opened its mouth in a heavy tone.

“…Bangjang. If I may… Considering the gravity of the name ‘Magyo’, I think we should not have waited this long.”

Bop Jeong quietly glared at Bop Kye.

A voice like a lament came out from the mouth of Bop Jeong, which had been oppressing Bop Kye with such heavy silence for a long time.

“Do you think the same as well?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

Bop Jeong interrupted Bop Kye with a voice that had settled down.

“That’s precisely why we should have waited even more.”

“…Yes? How could…”

“Don’t you understand?”

Bop Jeong said, glaring at Bop Kye.

“If Mount Hua was truly concerned about Magyo, if they truly felt threatened, they should have tried to join hands with us instead of hastily running to Gangnam. No, to put it more bluntly, they should have bowed to us!”

“Ba- Bangjang…. Heavenly Comrade Alliance is no longer a small alliance.”

“What does that matter?”

Bop Jeong gritted his teeth.

“Who exactly are the members of this Heavenly Comrade Alliance you mentioned?”

“That….”

“Sichuan Tang Family, which is shunned even among Righteous Sects as Evil Sects. Namgung Family, which has lost its power and is now wandering with no place to go! And Mount Hua, who was expelled of Ten Great Sects and the outer palace that was not even treated as a member of Jungwon!” (“????? ??? ???? ????. ??? ?? ?? ?? ??? ????! ??? ????? ??? ?? ??? ??? ???, ?????? ??? ??!”)

“….”

“Among them, is there really a sect that exerts great influence on Kangho?”

“…No, there isn’t.”

“People are only seeing the surface! Everyone!”

Kwang!

Bop Jeong struck the floor in frustration.

“Just because Mount Hua defeated Southern Edge Sect, did Southern Edge Sect bow down to Mount Hua?”

“….”

“Just because Mount Hua defeated Wudang, did Wudang yield their position to Mount Hua?”

“No, Bangjang.”

“That is the limitation of the sect called Mount Hua and the limitation of the alliance called Heavenly Comrade Alliance. No matter how active they are and how much they expand their influence, do you think the proud sects of Ten Great Sects will ever bow to Mount Hua?”

Bop Kye couldn’t answer this.

Can he imagine Shaolin changing its stance right now, bowing its head to Mount Hua, and join Heavenly Comrade Alliance?

No. That can never happen.

Perhaps other sects of Ten Great Sects are thinking similarly. Beggar Union, which cares less about pride and face, might be an exception.

“…Just because I am Bangjang of Shaolin does not mean that we should unite around Shaolin. Do you know why Shaolin became the center whenever there was upheaval in Kangho?”

“That….”

“Because they always take a step back only when dealing with Shaolin! Needless to say, if Namgung Hwang were still alive, would he have given up his position as the head of Five Great Family and joined Heavenly Comrade Alliance?”

“….”

“Heavenly Comrade Alliance cannot unify Kangho. Therefore, they are only gathering those they can easily sway to expand their power. Even though they know that such actions are clearly causing divisions in Jungwon!”

Bop Jeong’s shoulders trembled with anger.

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“…Yes, Bangjang.”

Bop Kye nods his head without realizing it.

There was actually nothing wrong with what Bop Jeong said.

No matter how much he thinks about it, he cannot picture Heavenly Comrade Alliance subjugating the prestigious sect of Ten Great Sects, the existing powerhouse in Junwon. In the end, the stronger Heavenly Comrade Alliance becomes, the more clearly Gangbuk becomes divided into two forces: Heavenly Comrade Alliance and Ten Great Sects.

Moreover, aren’t those two forces already building up deep animosity towards each other?

Even without mentioning Shaolin, Mount Hua and Ten Great Sects had a relationship that couldn’t be called amicable in the first place. As they keep burying things that should have been resolved long ago, the wounds are festering and rotting away.

“Do you think they are unaware of this fact?”

“….”

“Is there really a place for Ten Great Sects in Heavenly Comrade Alliance they are envisioning?”

“That’s….”

“But how long must I continue to show them mercy? How long should we think of them as people we have to embrace? Even Buddha did not show mercy to Mara (??(魔羅)). But how long should I, who dare not reach that profound enlightenment, endure?”

A murderous intent glimmered in Bop Jeong’s eyes.

It was Bop Jeong that first recognized Mount Hua’s potential and supported them. And Mount Hua lived up to his expectations even more than he thought. That was why he sent Hye Yeon, who was innately timid and had weaknesses, to them to learn their boldness.

Although they occasionally took actions he did not agree with, a capable person should be allowed a certain degree of freedom. Thus, he chose patience over punishment in dealing with them.

But….

‘Now I can no longer sit by and watch their self-indulgence.’

If Buddhism sought to resolve everything with compassion alone, there would be no need for the disciplinary knife used to punish those who broke the precepts.

A rotten sprout must be cut off.

Otherwise, even other healthy sprouts will rot. The rotten sprout named Mount Hua has already caused many diseases. If the division continues to accelerate like this, let alone Magyto, they may not be able to handle even that Evil Tyrant Alliance right now.

“…Unaware that they are being manipulated.”

Bop Jeong bit his lips. Eventually, thick blood began to seep from his lips.

“I should have heeded those words back then.”

“Bangjang?”

“No.”

Bop Jeong shook his head.

“If we continue to do nothing, the situation will become uncontrollable. Summon Beggar Union. We need to question Heavenly Comrade Alliance about their alliance with Evil Sects.”

“At a time like this?”

When Bop Kye asked in surprise, Bop Jeong remained silent and just glared with cold eyes. In the end, Bop Kye stood up and bowed his head.

“I will do so.”

“Hurry.”

“Yes!”

Bop Kye hurriedly left the room.

Bop Jeong, left alone, slowly turned his head and stared at the flickering lamp. Though there was no wind blowing in the room, the flame trembled constantly. It seemed to reflect his current state of mind.

“Mount Hua…. Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword Chung Myung.”

Ppudeuk.

Bop Jeong clenched his fist so tightly it seemed about to burst, then took a deep breath. Then, as if to calm his mind, he stretched out his hand and lightly grabbed the Moktak from the floor.

Jjojok.

At that moment, the well-worn Moktak in his hand cracked.

Bop Jeong looked blankly down at the cracked Moktak. Unable to take his eyes off it for a long time, a hollow laugh escaped his lips.

“Ho…. hoho.”

The lamp flickered even more violently.

“Hohohohohot. Hohohohohohohohoho!”

In a room where no one approached, only the old monk’s helpless laughter continued to leak out.