Chapter 1029: Just Understand (Part 4)

Hyepyeong gazed at the distant setting sun and sighed unconsciously. Lately, he had been feeling uneasy.

'I don't know what I'm doing.'

He couldn't fathom why he had left Song Mountain [where Shaolin is located] and was spending his time aimlessly on the distant Yangtze River. The idea of leaving the Yangtze River to counter the Evil Tyrant Alliance never made sense to him, no matter how many times he heard it.

All they had done since coming to the Yangtze River was watch from a distance what was happening on Plum Blossom Island.

And the battle with Su Lo Chae had been led by the Heavenly Comrade Alliance, not Shaolin. So, hearing that they couldn't leave the Yangtze River to confront the Evil Tyrant Alliance felt empty to him.

Hyepyeong sighed once more as he gazed at the setting sun, casting a deep reddish hue. He opened his mouth.

"Sahyung."

"Why are you like this?"

Hyegong, who was seated next to him, didn't even turn his head as he replied.

"Has Hye Bang Sahyung arrived safely in Song Mountain?"

"..."

Hyegong's response didn't come immediately. It took some time for his heavy voice to return.

"Why? Do you also want to return to Song Mountain, Hyepyeong?"

"It's not like that... It's just..."

Hyepyeong hesitated to speak and let out a deep sigh.

"I don't know, Sahyung. While it's true that Hye Bang Sahyung committed a breach of etiquette towards the Sect Leader, I'm not sure if it's a grave enough mistake to warrant true repentance."

"Whether he enters true repentance is a decision made by Hye Bang Sahyung himself. It's not our place to judge right from wrong."

"Yes, you're right."

Hyegong finally turned his gaze toward Hyepyeong.

"Do you regret not following him?"

Hyepyeong remained silent.

Honestly, he wanted to return to Song Mountain with Hye Bang. Since his arrival at the Yangtze River, he had been unable to comprehend the commands he had received from the Sect Leader.

He knew it was all for Shaolin. No one doubted that the Sect Leader's decision was solely based on concerns for Shaolin.

But...

"I've learned that as a Buddhist, you should not hesitate to become fertilizer for living beings."

"..."

"If that's the case, then we..."

"Enough."

Hyegong cut Hyepyeong off, not allowing him to say more.

"Even if there are suspicions, don't let them slip out so easily. Once spoken, words cannot be retrieved."

"..."

"If you have something to reason, contemplate deeply, and only when you firmly believe your thoughts are not completely wrong should you let them out. Otherwise, it's just delusion."

"I will keep that in mind, Sahyung."

A deep sigh escaped from Hyepyeong's lips.

He sometimes wondered. Was the reason he couldn't follow Hy Bbang due to a lack of courage? Was he afraid of the Sect Leader's anger because he had not carried out what he believed was right? Could he, who had vowed to sacrifice himself for all living beings, truly question the Sect Leader's judgment and righteousness?

As Hyepyeong was sinking into these thoughts, Hyegong spoke.

"Someone is coming."

"What?"

Hyepyeong raised his head to look at the approaching figures who were headed towards them.

"Who...?"

Why would someone come to this place at this time when the sun was setting? Hyepyeong recalled the saying, "Good people do not come."

But then, his voice sounded perplexed.

"Wait a moment."

He recognized one of the individuals leading the group.

"Sahyung. Isn't that... No, isn't he?"

Hyegong's face also stiffened.

"Why would he be here?"

The approaching figure was none other than Mount Hua's Sect Leader, Hyun Jong.

Of course, there was no reason Hyun Jong could not come here. However, considering the current state of relations between Shaolin and Mount Hua, this visit felt unusual.

"How...?"

"Don't be overly anxious."

Hyegong reassured Hyepyeong.

"Receive him with courtesy."

"Yes, Sahyung."

In that brief exchange, Hyegong's deep respect for Hyun Jong was evident. Despite the tension between Shaolin and Mount Hua, Hyun Jong, as a prominent figure regardless of his affiliation, deserved respect and reverence.

As Hyun Jong approached them, Hyegong respectfully bowed and offered his greetings.

"I greet Sect Leader of Mount Hua."

Hyun Jong also bowed deeply with a natural display of courtesy.

"I am Hyun Jong of Mount Hua. I have come without prior notice, and I apologize for any inconvenience."

"Not at all, Sect Leader. Your visit is far from an inconvenience."

Hyegong inclined his head slightly and subtly inquired.

"May I ask what brings you here?"

Taking a deep breath, Hyun Jong spoke.

"I have something to discuss. Hyun Jong of Mount Hua... I mean, Hyun Jong of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance wishes to meet the head of the Shaolin Sect. Please convey this message."

"...Bangjang?"

"Yes."

A perplexed expression briefly crossed Hyegong's face.

Currently, Beopjeong did not entertain visits from outsiders. However, the person standing before them was not just any outsider; he was the leader of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance.

When the master of a prominent faction personally visited, what use were rules?

After a brief contemplation, Hyegong nodded.

"I apologize, but can you wait here briefly? Right now, Bangjang is not receiving visits from outsiders. I need to inform him of your presence and seek his permission."

"I can wait as long as necessary."

"Thank you. Then..."

Hyegong gestured to Hyepyeong and swiftly opened the door to enter.

As Hyun Jong watched this, he gazed thoughtfully into the courtyard.

"Sect Leader."

Hyun Young, who stood behind him, spoke with a concerned tone that hinted at worry.

"Wouldn't it be wise to change your mind even now? At the very least, you should make an appointment or something. Us rushing here and clinging to you won't make a good impression. If we keep this up, we'll end up becoming a laughingstock."

From the perspective of etiquette, there was no room for complaint even if they were left waiting at the door. But Hyun Jong chose to prioritize the party rushing to them.

"I know."

"But..."

"But this is not the time to be concerned about such things."

Instead of looking at Hyun Young, Hyun Jong gazed at the tranquil courtyard.

- Just understand.

There's no preserving one's dignity. There's no following the procedures. He understood that even while he could make a joke of himself, it was worth less than a penny compared to the lives being lost at this very moment.

And...

"The situation in Gangnam is one thing, but..."

Hyun Jong bit his lip lightly.

"I'm worried about how long that kid will endure."

"Are you referring to Chung Myung?"

"Yes."

"No matter how special Chung Myung is, he cannot defy the orders of the Sect Leader. If something like that were to happen, it must be dealt with severely."

Hyun Young, who was always at odds with Chung Myung, displayed a firm stance in this matter. It's because this could potentially shake the foundation of the sect and the alliance.

However, Hyun Jong's thoughts were different.

"In situations where nothing can be done, testing whether others will follow or not is not the role of a Daoist."

"That's true, but..."

"The best approach is to find a better way together. I don't want to become a Sect Leader who oppresses his disciples. I want to be a Sect Leader they can trust."

Hyun Young nodded.

But regardless of their intentions, it was uncertain how the Shaolin would react...

At that moment, Hyegong came out again with quick steps and politely bowed to Hyun Jong.

"The Sect Leader wishes to see you. This novice monk will escort you."

"Thank you."

Hyun Jong stepped into the manor with a tense expression. His hand, resting on his knee, twitched uncomfortably.

They say the true nature of a relationship is revealed when you sit face to face.

From that perspective, even calling the relationship between the person in front of him and Hyun Jong the worst wouldn't be an exaggeration, even if the Southern Edge's Sect Leader sat in front of him. Or even if it was Jang Ilso, it wouldn't feel this uncomfortable.

However, the person sitting in front of Hyun Jong appeared relaxed and showed no sign of discomfort.

"Indeed..."

The person sitting in front of Hyun Jong, Beopjeong, opened his mouth leisurely while filling the teacup placed in front of him.

"Has the Lord of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance come to visit for some particular reason?"

Steam rose from the teacup, and as Hyun Jong watched the rising steam dispersing, he unknowingly suppressed a sigh that was about to escape.

In truth, Hyun Jong's relationship with Beopjeong hadn't always been like this. When he first saw Beopjeong at the All-Under-Heaven Martial Arts Invitational Tournament, there was no such resentment. No, perhaps he even admired him to some extent. Beopjeong, the leader of the of the leading sect in the world. Hyun Jong had no way to reach him from his own position.

But now...

"Um."

Beopjeong seemed to have guessed Hyun Jong's feelings and smiled wryly.

"It's been several years since we first met, hasn't it?"

"...Yes, Sect Leader."

"Even then, it feels like I was sitting across from you and serving tea for the first time."

"You did that back then, Sect Leader."

"I wonder what I said at that time..."

Hyun Jong looked at Beopjeong in silence.

"You told me this."

Beopjeong continued.

"As I watched you serving tea with gratitude. 'Tea is just tea. Whether it's tea served by the Emperor or tea served by a commoner, it's still just tea.'"

Beopjeong nodded heavily.

"At that time, your words really resonated with me. Even the same words can carry different weight depending on who says them. When the leader of Shaolin said those words, my heavy burdens seemed to lighten a bit."

Beopjeong's eyes glistened slightly.

Hyun Jong might have just been reminiscing about the past, but to Beopjeong's ears, it sounded like he was asking, "Are you really the same person as you were back then?"

What do you think? Are the Beopjeong of then and the Beopjeong of now really the same person? Beopjeong didn't particularly want to answer that question. He only said.

"A tree is just there, but it's the wind that doesn't leave it alone."

Hyun Jong nodded in agreement with that statement.

"The ways of the world are truly amusing, Master."

Beopjeong laughed wryly.

"Who would have thought that anyone could have foreseen that our relationship would become this awkward after sharing a cup of tea back then?"

"It is quite embarrassing."

After a brief awkward silence, Beopjeong silently stared at his teacup. The hot steam that was rising from the tea gradually cooled down. People are like that too; even without doing anything, time changes everything.

"I see. Have you come to see me because of the incident with Gangnam? Your question refers to the testimony of the Evil Tyrant Alliance."

"Yes, Master. It's related to the demonic sect's provocations."

Hyun Jong emphasized the words "demonic sect." But upon hearing that, Beopjeong merely smiled peacefully.

"Have you come to discuss that matter?"

"Yes."

Hyun Jong cleared his throat.

From the very beginning, the fact that he came to see the Sect Leader meant that Hyun Jong had lowered himself. Someone like Beopjeong could use this fact as an excuse to say anything. However, Beopjeong's following words completely defied Hyun Jong's expectations.

"You've come at just the right time."

"…Pardon?"

In response to the unexpected reaction, Hyun Jong widened his eyes.

Beopjeong, with a warm smile, continued to nod.

"I was thinking that I should meet you in person and discuss the situation. I can't express how grateful I am that you've come. Truly, you possess the qualifications of the leader of the Heavenly Comrade Alliance."

"Uh... It's not that remarkable."

"The matter concerning the Demonic Sect is of such great importance that all martial artists should be ready to address it at any time. Naturally, it should be discussed, shouldn't it?"

"Yes, indeed."

Hyun Jong briefly wondered if he had misunderstood Beopjeong all along. He considered whether his apparent selfishness might have been rooted in a different perspective on safeguarding the martial world. But then...

"However..."

A small smile appeared on Beopjeong's lips.

"There is one small issue, Sect Leader."

It was a somewhat unfamiliar smile.