Return of The Mount Hua – Chapter 1512. We experience all sorts of things in life (1)
Editor: Hoamz
Co-Translator: Xoxo
It wasn't just Beggar Union that was bewildered by all this.
"Are you saying... they're on our side?"
"I- It seems that way?"
“Shaolin?”
"That's right."
"Those Shaolin bast... No, those Shaolin pun... those Shaolin masters?"
"That's what they said."
"What the hell is..."
Jo-Gol, who had been staring at the Shaolin monks as if he couldn't comprehend it, snapped his head around toward Baek Cheon.
“Sasuk! Did Sasuk know about this?”
"...That bastard mentioned he would do something."
…Which meant even Baek Cheon hadn't known for sure.
"So... they're on our side anyway?"
"It seems so."
"Then we're going to fight together now?"
“I… guess?”
“Huh…”
Jo-Gol laughed as if dumbfounded. Then he muttered words that represented everyone's feelings.
“I’ve lived long enough to see all sorts of stuff…”
To think they would end up fighting side by side with Shaolin. Who could’ve imagined such a situation?
At that moment, one of the elders who had been in confusion shouted desperately.
"Why is Shaolin helping Heavenly Comrade Alliance! We are fellow members of Ten Great Sects!"
There was no law saying Shaolin couldn't help Heavenly Comrade Alliance. Everyone knew this, so the question should have been phrased more carefully. But Beggar Union elders had no such composure left.
“Amitabha.”
Hye Bang calmly answered even after hearing that unreasonable question.
“There seems to be a misunderstanding. We did not say that we would help Heavenly Comrade Alliance.”
"Then what was that statement just now!"
"We merely came at the request of Beggar Sect Sect Leader. If a fellow Righteous Sect and one of Ten Great Sects like Beggar Union requests aid, isn’t it proper to assist?”
"Tha- That..."
The elder who was momentarily at a loss for words looked at Hye Bang.
"Th- This is an internal matter of Beggar Union! Is Shaolin saying they will interfere in the affairs of Beggar Union now?"
"That is correct. Interfering in the affairs of another sect is forbidden. That is, if we had not heard Sect Leader's request."
Then, the elders' faces changed several times in a short moment. No matter how cornered they were in crisis, as long as this inauguration ceremony wasn't over, Wind Shadow Divine Beggar was still the sect leader of Beggar Union. This meant he was the only one who could represent the position of Beggar Union.
That hollow title of ‘sect leader’ had now become a noose of legitimacy tightening around the elders' necks.
Hye Bang smiled faintly.
"And... this doesn't seem to be solely Beggar Union's affair."
He quietly looked at those surrounded by the elders.
"Other sects have already become involved, and among them... hmm, there seems to be a disciple of Shaolin as well."
"Tha- That's..."
"A disciple of Shaolin has been injured. In a matter where a disciple of Shaolin is being attacked, how can this simply be the affair of another sect!"
Hye Bang thundered loudly.
The elders’ gazes all turned toward Hye Yeon, who blinked back at them with wide, innocent cow-like eyes.
The disciples of Mount Hua began whispering.
“Injured?”
"Uh... there is something slightly scraped there."
"...If that's an injury, then a mosquito is an eagle."
"Anyway, they say he's a Shaolin disciple?"
“Well, he is?”
"Wasn't he excommunicated?"
"He never received an excommunication notice, nor was there an excommunication ceremony, so shouldn't it be considered as 'pending excommunication'? Then he'd still be affiliated with Shaolin?"
"That's true, but... does that mean things can turn out like this?"
It was almost like covering one's eyes and playing hide-and-seek, but strictly speaking, it wasn't entirely wrong either In any situation, as long as a disciple of Shaolin was attacked, Shaolin had gained justification to intervene in this matter.
Of course, the claim that they came at the request of the sect leader was more than enough justification on its own.
"I- Is this truly Shaolin's will?"
"That is correct."
“Are you saying that Bangjang permitted this to happen? Truly?”
Hye Bang smiled strangely at one of the elders' questions.
“Hmm, it certainly is not an order given by Bangjang.”
“You see! I knew it couldn’t be!”
“However, Bangjang is currently too far away to know about this situation, and the request for Shaolin’s help came to Mount Song.”
“....”
“According to the laws of Shaolin, if it is judged that the situation is too urgent to wait for Bangjang’s command, the one with the highest seniority at the location may act as proxy and issue commands, so long as it does not violate Buddhist law or moral principles."
Lone Tiger Divine Beggar’s face turned deathly pale.
All the high-ranking monks of Shaolin had currently left Mount Song.
And the one who delayed the report to Bop Jeong in the Yangtze River, just in case, was none other than Lone Tiger Divine Beggar himself.
What had been an exquisitely precise move just moments ago had now transformed into a fatal blunder that strangled his neck.
"The person with the highest seniority at Mount Song right now is precisely me. Since it is certain that you are spreading falsehoods, all of Shaolin's actions here do not violate Buddhist law and moral principles. The affairs of a sect should be carried out not by force, but by just and proper processes and procedures. So I ask that the elders step aside and achieve what you desire through proper and legitimate means."
"This..."
“If not!”
Hye Bang shouted firmly.
"You will have to face Shaolin."
“Amitabha!”
As soon as Hye Bang finished speaking, the Shaolin monks chanted in unison.
It felt like an invisible pressure was crashing down upon them. The elders instinctively stepped back.
To face Shaolin, who in the martial world wouldn't know what that meant?
“Sha- Shaolin....”
"Us? Against Shaolin?"
Of course, those who had come here now were not Shaolin's true full strength. They were merely warrior monks numbering not even a hundred.
But Beggar Union elders knew all too well just how formidable even a few dozen Shaolin monks could be.
And if they joined forces with the Mount Hua swordsmen here, how terrifying an enemy they would become.
"That..."
Tang Soso, glancing nervously around, whispered softly.
“Um… I know this might sound a bit strange.”
“Hm?”
"If Shaolin looks reassuring, am I wrong to think that way?"
"Of course not."
“No way.”
"I've always respected Shaolin the most."
"I wanted to enter Shaolin too!"
"Sasuk, Gol says he wants to go to Shaolin."
"Go. Go, you dumb rascal! Go!"
“...Why only me....”
The shoulders of the Mount Hua group began to gain strength.
Shaolin was the most formidable and fearsome opponent one could face, but as an ally, there was no more reliable force in Kangho.
Besides, thanks to a certain someone, weren't the disciples of Mount Hua exceptionally accustomed to keeping pace with Shaolin's martial arts?
"Seems like... the tide has turned, Sasuk?"
"Hmm."
Baek Cheon nodded slightly and took a step forward. Then he straightened his shoulders fully and shouted vigorously.
“The stance of Heavenly Comrade Alliance is the same. The elders of Beggar Union must follow the formal procedures. Those who do not will be considered traitors who are disrupting Beggar Union.”
The disciples of Mount Hua began murmuring behind him.
"This is really incredible.”
"Just moments ago he looked like he was about to drop dead."
“At this point, do you think he just picked the wrong profession?”
“Amitabha… The future of Mount Hua seems bright.”
“Is that an insult?”
Mount Hua, having realized the reason and purpose for Shaolin's appearance, regained their composure as if nothing had happened.
And the elders of Beggar Union who had been pressuring them were driven into a corner. Now it was Shaolin and Mount Hua surrounding and pressuring them..
It wasn't just a simple matter of formation. Even if they were the elders of Beggar Union, could they fight against these two sects?
"H- How..."
"Divine Beggar! What is the meaning of this?"
“We were not told of such a thing! Great Elder!”
As the tide turned against them, the elders urgently sought someone to denounce.
“You said you had a plan, Divine Beggar!”
"What do you intend to do now!"
"Sh- Shouldn't the plan change now?"
As Lone Tiger Divine Beggar was bombarded with their cries, Wind Shadow Divine Beggar and Baek Cheon both let out hollow laughs at the same time.
Those who had followed Lone Tiger Divine Beggar like iron now poured their complaints toward him instead. The moment they judged that following him was disadvantageous.
Wind Shadow Divine Beggar’s face reddened with shame and regret.
"Elder! Quickly, a countermeasure..."
“Shut up!”
At that moment, a thunderous roar erupted from Lone Tiger Divine Beggar.
"You fools! Do you think backing out now will erase what you've done?"
“But…”
The flustered elders darted their eyes around.
According to Beggar Union’s laws, there was only one punishment for someone who attempted to assassinate the sect leader.
Death.
Of course, it might be impossible to kill all of them. But at the very least, the elders here would be stripped of all authority and expelled from their positions. That was unavoidable.
“They are fewer than a hundred! And they are no different from rebels disobeying Bangjang’s orders! Do you think the Abbot would overlook this if he found out? Of course, he would side with us!”
Hye Bang made a bitter expression at Lone Tiger Divine Beggar's words. Because he too knew there was a high probability of that happening.
"We just need to win! We just need to subdue them! Spread word that Shaolin rebels are attacking Beggar Union and summon the Sect members!"
The elders' faces hardened.
If they did that, this would no longer be merely an internal affair of Beggar Union .
But...
"What are you all doing!"
"...Yes!"
There was no path back now. One who has mounted a tiger can only cling to it until the moment of death, hoping the tiger collapses from exhaustion.
In the end, several elders who had first steeled their resolve ran toward the outside. And those who remained soon began emanating fierce energy toward the Shaolin monks.
Hye Bang's face hardened.
“Listen.”
“Yes!”
“Subdue the elders with as little bloodshed as possible! I will take full responsibility for everything!”
“Yes!”
Mount Hua also knew what they had to do.
"Sect Leader."
“Go ahead, Acting Sect Leader."
"Please do what Sect Leader must do."
"...I understand."
Though he desperately wanted to stay and witness the outcome, Wind Shadow Divine Beggar had another duty. That was to stop the ordinary beggars of Beggar Union who would soon flock here.
The only one who could do that was Wind Shadow Divine Beggar himself.
"I will definitely stop them."
"I entrust this to you."
Wind Shadow Divine Beggar nodded with a stern face and launched his body toward the entrance.
“Isong Sohyeop! Please help Sect Leader.”
“…Understood.”
Isong Baek nodded his head deeply and followed Wind Shadow Divine Beggar. After confirming only familiar faces remained, Baek Cheon cleared his throat softly.
“Ahem.”
“Here we go again.”
"What is he going to say this time!"
“I’m not! I’m not, you bastards!”
Baek Cheon flushed red with irritation before turning sharply toward his juniors.
"...We've taken quite a beating, haven't we?"
"Sasuk got beaten up a lot."
“We were fine, really.”
“Sasuk! You have a bruise on your eye.”
“Ugh....”
Baek Cheon, gritting his teeth, pointed at the elders with his sword tip.
"Time for revenge! Beat them all down!"
"Yes, this is how Sasuk should be."
“Protect Dongryong!”
"Let's go!"
“Amitabha!”
The excited Mount Hua disciples moved. And there was one who was ahead of them, Hye Yeon. Somehow the most excited of them, he dashed forward with a beaming face like a gust of wind.
“Suppress the traitors!”
Soon, the warrior monks of Shaolin also rushed at the elders like golden wind.
“A—Mi—Ta—Bha—!”
From the very heart of Beggar Union's headquarters, a Buddhist chant thunderous enough to penetrate to the depths of one's chest burst forth.
It was truly magnificent.
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