Return of the Mount Hua Sect

It was shining.

The Abbot, who was standing in the sunlight, was dazzling.

‘He sure is shining.’

No, there was more.

Chung Myung, who watched the Shaolin monks standing behind the Abbot, bent his head, not liking this. And his voice came out like a groan.

“What is that man doing here?”

“H-He is the head of Shaolin, you brat!”

Yoon Jong was scared and shouted at him, but Chung Myung didn’t care.

“So what? He isn’t our Sect Leader.”

“…”

Yoon Jong, who was dumbfounded by this, ended up shaking his head.

“Let’s just go and see.”

Hyun Jong led his disciples and approached the gate before bowing deeply.

“Welcome, Abbot.”

“It has been a while, Sect Leader. I hope you have been well.”

Hyun Jong smiled and said,

“Thanks to your care, we were able to get ahead with no problems. It is a long way from Mount Song. What has made you come all this way?”

The Abbot smiled,

“No matter how long the road is, there is no reason to turn away from a place where there is sweet nectar to quench one’s thirst.”

Hyun Jong’s eyes shone.

‘Nectar.’

The two smiled and exchanged words, but those who watched this from the side felt a subtle drop in temperature.

“Isn’t it cold?”

“Well, winter is coming.”

“True, but…”

The Abbot turned around and looked at Chung Myung, who was standing with his arms crossed.

“You are doing well?”

“It wasn’t that comfortable with Shaolin sending baggage over to Mount Hua.”

“Baggage.”

The Abbot had a bitter smile. By baggage, he meant Hae Yeon.

“I guess it depends on the baggage. Still, wouldn’t it be nice to consider it an honorable treasure?”

“Uh? Did you not hear me? Baldie?”

“…”

“If you are going to send something, at least send money along with him! Are you sending us a guy who eats grass, which is hard to find on Mount Hua, that too, empty-handed? You have a lot of money!”

“…”

The Abbot blinked. It was true that the thought of sending money never struck him…

‘But hard to find grass?’

The Abbot had an awkward smile.

“Haha… still, wasn’t he of help?”

“Help?”

As Chung Myung’s head tilted, the Abbot turned away and cleared his throat. Even though they only spoke a couple of words, he remembered what kind of person Chung Myung was.

And right now, the situation was a bit embarrassing.

Hyun Jong stepped forward as if to stop Chung Myung from speaking any further, before he got himself into trouble.

“Please come in. I am afraid that the people of this world would curse me for keeping the Abbot of Shaolin near my gate.”

“How can an uninvited guest request hospitality? If only I could get a glass of water, I would appreciate it.”

Just as they were sharing some calm words–

“Abbot!”

Someone came out and, shouting, ran straight for the Abbot.

“Oh, Hae Yeon….”

Uh?

The Abbot was wide-eyed.

‘Hae Yeon?’

Huh?

The poor man had to blink several times.

‘Is this him?’

Who else would be wearing the yellow robe that screamed Shaolin and would be running at him?

Of course, he was right that it was Hae Yeon who was the one running at him.

But…

‘It is Hae Yeon, but…’

Something felt odd.

The boy who seemed only to have innocent eyes was nowhere to be found, so why was this young man with smooth, shiny skin running to him?

Besides, his face seemed so different.

Was it because of his tanned skin? Or was it something else? The child didn’t look shy anymore. When he looked him in the eye, there was this strong force. It was as if he could kill a demon with his bare hands right now.

‘Uh…’

The Abbot rubbed his eyes and looked at the person in front of him again.

‘N-No. Looking closely, his appearance didn’t change much.’

The Abbot quickly realized where his doubts came from.

Those eyes.

Hae Yeon’s eyes which were once soft and weak, like he could never touch an ant, were now glowing.

Hae Yeon, who ran to him, called out,

“Abbot!”

“… Hae Yeon?”

“Yes, Abbot!”

The Abbot received an obvious response, but he still had a hard time accepting this. What should he say…

After leaving the house for a couple of days, the chick had come back as a large rooster.

The Abbot opened his mouth, feeling that,

“… you changed so much.”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

Hae Yeon tilted his head, but Baek Cheon and the others watching this from behind nodded their heads at the Abbot’s words.

“A lot has changed.”

“Right. I didn’t think much of it when we were together, but compared to when he first came here, he has changed a lot.”

“… I feel a bit bad now.”

The Abbot looked stunned and unable to speak.

‘Just what happened?’

A person who went out to find the truth of things had come back and met the Abbot. But why did the person in front of him look so changed after only experiencing the world for a couple of months?

The Abbot opened his mouth unconsciously but then flinched.

This was Mount Hua, and he was from Shaolin. Now no matter how shocking things were, he shouldn’t look shocked. So he asked in a stern voice,

“Ahem. Right. Have you attained enlightenment?”

“… enlightenment can go kill itself.”

“Uh?”

What did I just hear?

But Hae Yeon didn’t even care about his reaction and was only crying,

“Abbot! Are you here to pick me up? I knew I could trust the Abbot.”

“… what do you mean by that?”

The Abbot looked a little embarrassed, but Hae Yeon seemed like a person who couldn’t hear the words of others as he grabbed the hands of the Abbot with tears.

“Le-Let us head back to Shaolin…”

“Tch tch. See that.”

Chung Myung clicked his tongue, watching him.

“Even animals know to show grace for being fed and given shelter, but look at that human who is here.”

“…”

Hearing this, Hae Yeon went silent and glanced back.

Ah. His words weren’t wrong.

They did feed him. But this was because they treated people like cattle, they fed him only grass!

“Do not act up, and come back.”

Chung Myung approached and grabbed Hae Yeon’s head.

Hae Yeon looked back at the Abbot like a cow being led to the slaughter, but this was all so strange that Chung Myung just continued to drag him.

At that time, Hyun Jong cleared his throat.

“Let’s head in for now.”

“…r-right.”

The Abbot sighed.

‘This is Mount Hua’

Mount Hua.

“Ahem.”

“Kuak.”

Even though they were sitting face to face, they couldn’t openly speak, and a subtle awkward stillness puddled around.

Actually, Mount Hua and Shaolin weren’t close enough to do this, and as a result, those who were seated had nothing to say to each other.

‘Please at least say something, Sect Leader.’

‘I might die from suffocation.’

As the elders looked around, Hyun Jong averted his gaze.

‘I am feeling awkward too!’

Only at the tournament was there a situation where either side felt comfortable enough to say something. But right now, it was too much for the Abbot of Shaolin to handle alone.

Shaolin hadn’t spoken till now, and as a result, there was only one person who could change this atmosphere.

“Why is everyone so quiet?”

The eyes of Mount Hua’s elders turned to one side, towards the calm and innocent voice. The moment they all saw Chung Myung sitting down, their eyes were filled with freedom.

‘I am really glad he is here.’

‘I never thought that I would be happy to have that guy around.’

When the elders looked at him, Chung Myung shrugged like he got it and looked at the Abbot.

“But why have you come? It must have been a long way.”

“I had things to share.”

The Abbot responded in a light manner and lifted his teacup as he savored it.

“The tea is wonderful, Sect Leader.”

“It was your first time tasting it, so I was concerned. It might not be high-quality tea, but since you are on Mount Hua, tasting plum tea should be nice.”

“The scent it has is amazing.”

The Abbot nodded and then looked at Hyun Jong.

“I heard about the Ten Thousand People Clan.”

“Ah…”

“Mount Hua has done an amazing job.”

The Abbot seemed to admire the feat.

“Amitabha. Dealing with them isn’t an easy thing, but it was clear how strong the forces of Mount Hua are, and the public is praising you.”

“Thank you.”

The Abbot also looked at the elders.

“When I think of the time we met in Shaolin, I cannot help but remember just how much the status of Mount Hua has changed. I do not think that the efforts of the people on Mount Hua will remain unseen from now on.”

As he continued, the elders all looked proud.

Honestly, this praise was more or less the truth of the matter, but the fact that it was the Abbot of Shaolin saying this was what brought the effect.

No matter what anyone says, Shaolin’s Abbot always occupied the highest position in the world of martial arts. As they smiled, the Abbot said,

“And I also apologize. Normally when such a thing happens, it is the law for the close by martial sects to support, but it all happened suddenly…”

“It really was sudden.”

“If Southern Edge hadn’t closed their doors, Mount Hua wouldn’t have had to fight alone. But even then their actions weren’t something we anticipated either.”

“It is fine.”

Hyun Jong smiled.

“How can the Abbot, who is busy, take care of all these things, being so far away? And it is basic for us to solve our own problems.”

“No, Sect Leader. This is something I need to apologize for.”

With a sunken face, the Abbot recited his dislike.

But Chung Myung was glaring at him.

‘What is this raccoon cooking up…’

It was true that Mount Hua got no help, but it wasn’t something that was Shaolin’s fault, yet, this man continued to speak like it was so.

“With times being grim, I never thought that they could come into Shaanxi.”

“How could you even know that and prepare for it? If you keep saying that, it will make me feel uncomfortable.”

“Amitabha. Sect Leader, how can you think it’s not my fault?”

“Uh?”

And he looked at Hyun Jong and said,

“I understand your feelings, Sect Leader. I understand your disappointment in those who didn’t help.”

“… what do you mean?” asked Hyun Jong as his face stiffened.

Turning to Chung Myung, the Abbot spoke with a stern expression, “Which is why I can understand that Mount Hua is trying to join hands with people other than Nine Great Sects, Sect Leader.”

Chung Myung’s face frowned.

‘So this is it!’

When asked why he came all the way here, this was his answer. With the power of Shaolin, he found out that Mount Hua was trying to unite with other sects.

So he decided to make his move.

‘Fucking bastard!’

Hyun Jong cleared his throat, taken aback,

“Ahem. That…”

“Of course, I understand, Sect Leader. But…”

He narrowed his eyes.

“It is a matter of whether or not the other sects will understand.”

Chung Myung’s face crumpled,

“No, look at this man?!”

“Chung Myung!”

“Don’t!”

The elders shouted and made him sit down. A third-class disciple could not be seen ignoring their elders when Shaolin was watching.

And the Abbot smiled like he could guess what he was thinking.

“Sect Leader.”

“Yes, Abbot.”

“Could the two of us talk separately? It is an important matter.”

“Umm.”

Hyun Jong thought for a moment. He wasn’t the kind to hide things from his elders, but the elders of Shaolin were making this place burdensome.

“Let’s do that.”

The both of them looked at their elders and said,

“Get out.”

“Leave your places.”

Those who sat got up and left.

“Ah.”

The Abbot called out,

“You stay here, Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon.”

Chung Myung, who was about to leave, frowned at the Abbot.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I have something to say.”

Chung Myung’s eyes went insane at this guy smirking at him.

‘I don’t think this bastard was like this the last time?’

Well, let’s see.

What noise you will make this time?

Chung Myung sat down without a word.

His sharp eyes and Abbot’s gaze lingered on the other…