Chapter 1188: The Path We Will Continue To Walk (Part 3)

Beopjeong, who had been glaring at Baek Cheon as if ready to charge at any moment, took a deep breath. Then, slowly, he resumed his seat.

However, his eyes emitted an even colder light than before.

"Did I not tell you? It was just lip service."

His voice penetrated the air like ice.

"Choosing the unchoosable. It may happen. But the one who must make that choice is the one who leads. The one who must make a choice that no one else will!"

"..."

"That's why one compares the incomparable, makes decisions that should not be made! Deputy Sect Leader spoke those words with his own mouth. If he is willing to bear that responsibility, then Deputy Sect Leader must choose to sacrifice a thousand lives to save one!"

Baek Cheon remained silent. In response, Beopjeong frowned as if to say, 'See that?'

"Anyone can discuss ideals. But who compensates for the lives lost because of those ideals?"

"Who gave Bangjang the right to make such a choice?"

At Baek Cheon's question, Beopjeong widened his eyes.

"Is it because Bangjang is the Sect Leader of Shaolin that you can weigh the lives of others? Or is it because Bangjang is a Buddhist?"

"Look, Deputy Sect Leader!"

"One must choose the unchoosable. One must bear that responsibility."

Baek Cheon nodded, lifting his head.

"Do not speak as if Bangjang is the only one who has taken on that responsibility. Many have walked this path, and our ancestors have pondered and pondered again. And they have already conveyed their conclusions to their descendants."

"...Descendants?"

A look of confusion crossed Beopjeong's face. What on earth did their ancestors say to them?

"As Bangjang well knows, we call it righteousness."

Beopjeong's face contorted.

"What obvious..."

"What's wrong with stating the obvious?"

Intensity flashed across Baek Cheon's face.

"Those who consider themselves wise apply their standards to everything. But a truly wise person refrains from evaluating what should not be evaluated! Did our ancestors truly not contemplate what Bangjang said? Did they not discuss it because they were foolish? Did they not discuss it because they were ignorant?"

"..."

"Not thinking with just the mind! Not comparing right and wrong, following the path my heart desires! Our answers called it righteousness. And they urged us to uphold that righteousness! That was not because they were foolish, but because it was the only correct answer."

Beopjeong's face trembled.

"They already knew. What happens when their descendants, trusting only in their brilliance, judge the value of everything!"

"What on earth..."

"That's why, in teaching disciples, they emphasized righteousness above all else. Within that simple teaching, they conveyed what we should prioritize. I ask you, Sect Leader! What did the great, lofty ancestors of Shaolin convey to you?"

Beopjeong clenched his fist. His mouth remained tightly shut, showing no sign of movement. But Baek Cheon already knew the answer to this question.

Of course not. More than any other sect in the world, Shaolin emphasized justice and salvation for sentient beings. That's why Shaolin became the stronghold of Kangho, Kangho's guardian, and Kangho's North Star.

"What would those predecessors say if they saw the current Sect Leader? Would they pity his tragic sacrifice? Would they praise the choice made with tears and bloodshed?"

"Silence!"

A roar erupted from the mouth of Beopjeong. This sound marked not only the cessation of his reason but also the shattering of the fragile consensus that had been maintained.

"Listen! There is no shortage of absurdity! Are you saying that Shaolin has abandoned all righteousness?"

"Then are you following it?"

"What?"

"What does Bangjang think of as righteousness?"

"So do you know about Mount Hua?"

"I don't know well, but there is someone in Mount Hua who knows."

Baek Cheon's gaze immediately turned to one person.

"Yoon Jong!"

As a sudden voice yelled at him, Yoon Jong looked at Baek Cheon in surprise.

"Are you talking about me?"

"Answer as a disciple of Mount Hua. What is righteousness?"

"Righteousness..."

Yoon Jong closed his eyes silently. It was a perplexing question that came out of nowhere, but it couldn't be casually dismissed. This answer had to be imbued with more sincerity than ever before.

And so, Yoon Jong's response began somewhat unexpectedly.

"The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao. If you call it the Dao, it is no longer the Dao. Similarly, the moment you call righteousness righteousness, it is no longer righteousness."

His voice gradually became calmer.

"The more you seek the Dao, the farther away it seems, as if trying to catch a cloud. It is not something complete and ideal, as saints think. Similarly, righteousness is not perfect. Sometimes it's eccentric, sometimes selfish, and sometimes irrational. Because that's how human hearts are.

Furthermore.

But that's why righteousness is righteousness. Allowing everything to naturally let go, like the flow of water. Sometimes winding, pausing, and sometimes dispersing, but ultimately heading towards where it should be. The human heart is the same. The heart is sometimes foolish, sometimes evil, sometimes selfish, but eventually, like the flow of water, it moves towards a vast place."

A serene light shone again in Yoon Jong's eyes.

"So, in the end, righteousness is about trusting people. Responding to the call of my heart. If you can do that, eventually, you will move towards the right place."

Baek Cheon nodded vigorously and looked at Beopjeong.

"Did you hear that?"

But Beopjeong, still furious, retorted.

"What did I just hear! It's just a commonplace idealism! So, this great idealism is letting those who are dying..."

"Oh, I really can't listen to this."

A sarcastic remark that popped up somewhere caused Beopjeong's head to turn abruptly. Im Sobyeong, who was sitting near the door, subtly turned away from his gaze but persisted in speaking.

"If you have such a broad-minded desire to help the people, why are you sticking yourself in a temple and swinging your fists? It would have been much more helpful if you had run for government office."

"Wha- What in the world..."

Beopjeong stared at Im Sobyeong with a face filled with disbelief. Despite being the Nokrim King, he was just a member of the Evil Sect. How could someone like him utter such words in front of Beopjeong?

"That's not entirely untrue."

What further bewildered Beopjeong was Namgung Dowi's intervention. None other than the Sogaju of the Namgung Family, head of the Five Great Families, came forward to support the words of the Nokrim King.

"If pursuing greater deeds and fulfilling a greater purpose is necessarily the right path, isn't the existence of a martial sect contradictory? The reason we can exist is because the power of the country cannot reach every corner, making it possible for people to defy them. If you truly want to discuss justice, wouldn't it be more right to strengthen the country, making the martial sect disappear altogether?"

"Sogaju!"

Fury burned in Beopjeong's eyes.

"Is everyone planning to come out like this? With such nonsense, are you really trying to..."

"Enough, Bangjang."

At that moment, a calm voice interrupted Beopjeong's words. Beopjeong was momentarily silenced. The voice was so familiar. It was Hye Yeon.

"You are wrong, Bangjang."

"What did you say?"

"You are wrong, Bangjang."

"You..."

Beopjeong's face showed confusion. It was too familiar a voice. After all, he had personally raised and taught Hye Yeon. How could Hye Yeon say such words?

"You are trying to deny their words, but you shouldn't say what you're about to say."

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

"What did Buddha and Sakyamuni do after attaining enlightenment through years of ascetic practices? What did they do after the seven days and seven nights of profound meditation when they made a vow to spread their teachings to all beings and relieve their suffering? What was the first thing they did?"

Instead of answering, Beopjeong stared at Hye Yeon in silence. Hye Yeon continued.

"They taught those within reach and accepted those at their feet as disciples. That was the first thing they did after enlightenment."

"Hye Yeon. This, this guy..."

"Amitabha."

Hye Yeon interrupted with a half-smile.

"While the Buddha sought to save the world, he did not create scriptures that would reach every corner of the world, nor did he use his past status to spread his teachings further. What the Buddha did for the suffering beings in the world was to convey and teach his esteemed ideals to those closest to him. Yes, that's all it was."

Hye Yeon's clear and transparent gaze turned towards Beopjeong.

"Those words became sutras, and those teachings became Buddhist laws. Hasn't they spreaded and reached even Bangjang?"

Beopjeong's eyes trembled. As the leader of Shaolin, he couldn't deny this statement.

"Following your logic, Bangjang, what the Buddha did was nothing significant. It was merely a foolish act of someone who couldn't see beyond the small things. If you follow that train of thought, the enlightened Buddha would have done nothing for the people of the world. But Bangjang, was the teaching really in vain?"

"..."

"Therefore, anyone who considers themselves a Buddhist should not insult Deputy Sect Leader's intentions. Originally, isn't Buddhism a path that begins with self-salvation, an endlessly selfish path? Yet, how can you criticize someone who strives to save those within their reach as foolish and selfish?"

"You...!"

"Before you, Bangjang, became the leader of Shaolin, if you were truly a Buddhist follower aspiring to follow the Buddha's teachings..."

Hye Yeon's voice swept through Beopjeong with conviction.

"Instead of making empty threats about falling into hell, you should have pondered which path truly leads to enlightenment."

Full of regret but resolute, Hye Yeon declared,

"Bangjang... You are wrong."

His words pierced Beopjeong's heart like a sharp dagger.