Novel Return of Mount Hua Sect Chapter 923
An awkward atmosphere flowed.
No, in fact, the current atmosphere was closer to being chilly rather than just awkward.
‘That crazy guy....’
Of course, Chung Myung had never been particularly polite to Bop Jeong in the past. But that was when the relationship between Shaolin and Mount Hua wasn’t that bad.
Baek Cheon bit his lips tightly.
‘And the gap was extreme back then.’
A tiger doesn’t get angry when a puppy barks. It simply ignores it and, if it becomes too annoying, will bite it to death. This also means that even for a puppy, there is an opportunity to irritate a tiger.
But now?
Will Chung Myung really be seen as a one-day-old puppy in the eyes of Bop Jeong?
Baek Cheon thought absolutely not. No matter how much Bop Jeong is the leader of Shaolin and the unrivaled supreme in Kangho, it is impossible to treat Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword Chung Myung as a day-old puppy.
Chung Myung’s current status is more than enough to irritate even Bangjang of Shaolin.
That’s why the atmosphere was like walking on thin ice.
However, fortunately or unfortunately, it wasn’t Bop Jeong who reacted to those words, but Bop Kye, who was following behind into the room.
“Look here, Siju.”
Bop Kye said, staring at Chung Myung with cold eyes.
“A minimum level of courtesy is required when treating adults. Doesn’t Mount Hua teach that?”
The usual Bop Kye would never have stopped at this level. He was the head of the Disciplinary Hall at Shaolin, after all.
But knowing why Bangjang had come all the way here, he restrained himself to just a biting remark.
But Chung Myung’s reaction overshadowed his efforts.
“Courtesy?”
Chung Myung smirked.
“Oh, courtesy is good. I like that too.”
Then he calmly looked at Bop Kye and said,
“But perhaps because the monk only lives in the mountains, he only knows one thing and doesn’t know the other.”
“...What do I not know?”
“Of course being polite to superiors is basic, but there is another basic in Kangho.”
“...And what is that?”
Chung Myung looked sharply at the two uninvited guests and twisted his mouth.
“The weak should show courtesy.”
“....”
Bop Kye’s mouth involuntarily closed.
“Am I right?”
Chung Myung’s sarcastic smile pierced Bop Kye’s eyes. There was a sudden surge of anger, but even Bop Kye, in this situation, couldn’t erupt in anger.
Partly because Bop Jeong was there, but...
‘Mount Hua...’
The name itself restrained Bop Kye from acting rashly. Before he knew it, the weight of Mount Hua had become that much heavier within him.
Caught between rising anger and that weight, Bop Kye, unsure of how to react, heard a calm voice in his ear.
“That’s quite true. Sodojang, no, Mount Hua Chivalrous Sword. As you say, the thirsty one digs the well.”
“Ba- Bangjang.”
Bop Jeong grinned. The smile eased the rigid atmosphere even a little.
“I was worried that your personality might have changed since we haven’t seen each other in a few years, but it seems like you haven’t changed at all.”
“People say when you change, it’s time to die. Come to think of it, it seems like Bangjang has changed a bit?”
“....”
Bop Jeong’s mouth was half-open at the words.
How on earth should he react?
“But this guy!”
Fortunately, however, Bop Jeong had someone he could call an ally. If he could even call the sect leader of that young Taoist with bloated liver as an ally, that is. (x; bloated liver means gutsy/bravery more than one could handle.)
Hyun Jong, who distorted his face, greatly rebuked Chung Myung.
“This is Bangjang of Shaolin. Can’t you be polite!”
“No, how can I be more polite than this, Sect Leader?”
But Chung Myung asked back as if it was absurd. Hyun Jong flinched.
“Ahem.”
Hyun Jong also seemed to understand the intention and cleared his throat again.
“I am cautious in my words and actions as I have Bangjang in front of me who is busy with work. To ask questions seems like hurrying you, yet to engage in small talk seems like stealing your time.”
“Hahaha. That’s what I came here for, so Maengju-nim is not stealing my time.”
“Bangjang.”
Hyun Jong sighed and looked at Bop Jeong.
“If it’s not impolite, may I ask the reason for your visit to Mount Hua?”
Bop Jeong had a subtle expression on his face.
“To speak frankly...”
He paused briefly before speaking.
“I thought the relationship between Shaolin and Mount Hua was not as good as it used to be. There have been various events, and there were some intense periods.”
Hyun Jong waited for Bop Jeong’s next words with a nervous face.
“But... I didn’t expect that I wouldn’t be able to get a cup of tea. The plum tea that Sect Leader gave me the other day was excellent.”
“Ah....”
Hyun Jong’s face turned red. Come to think of it, Shaolin’s Bangjang came as a guest, but he hadn’t offered a cup of tea and had instead gone straight to the main point.
Normally, he would never have made such an oversight, but the unexpected visit of Bangjang of Shaolin to Mount Hua had surely unsettled him.
“I made a mistake. Un Am! Go and bring the tea set, quickly!”
“Yes!”
Un Am also jumped up and ran outside, apparently noticing his mistake.
“I apologize, Bangjang. I was preoccupied.”
“Not at all, not at all. There’s no mistake to speak of. I was merely wondering if Maengju-nim no longer thought of me as Maengju-nim did in the past.”
“How could that be? That’s definitely not the case.”
“Then I am relieved. Hahaha.”
The face of Chung Myung, who was watching the situation, was slightly distorted.
‘That snake-like bald head!’
Bop Jeong, with just a few light words, had completely taken control of the atmosphere in the room and firmly grasped the reins of the situation.
Moreover, he used the title ‘sect leader’ when mentioning the past and ‘Maengju-nim’ when discussing the present, subtly pointing out how the change in status also changed the way one is treated.
Regardless of personal feelings towards the individual, one cannot deny the ability to achieve what one wants with just a few words. That must be why he rose to the position of Bangjang of Shaolin.
“The tea will be ready soon...”
“Maengju-nim.”
Bop Jeong began with a soft voice.
“Tea is good, but there is something more important.”
“What might that be...”
“You must have heard about it, right? The situation at the Yangtze River.”
Bop Jeong spoke as if he expected Hyun Jong to be aware of the recent events. It was just yesterday that Namgung occupied Plum Blossom Island on the Yangtze River.
“...Yes, I have heard.”
“Indeed.”
Bop Jeong glanced briefly to the back. Obviously, the figure of the beggar he had seen on his way here was nowhere to be seen.
“The situation is going worse than expected, Maengju-nim.”
“Yes. I’ve heard it’s quite serious.”
“There’s only one reason I’m here, Maengju-nim. I ask for your assistance.”
At that moment, Bop Jeong deeply bowed towards Hyun Jong, almost as if prostrating.
“What, what, what is this!”
Hyun Jong, in shock, stood up in fright. In his panic, he leaped over the tea table and pulled Bop Jeong back to his feet.
“Why, why are you being like this, Bangjang!”
The renowned Bangjang of Shaolin bowing down like that!
Even for someone like Hyun Jong, it was a moment of great astonishment.
However, as Chunng Myung watched the series of events, a laugh finally burst out of his mouth.
“Ho....”
The old snake was now wrapping its long tail around Hyun Jong’s neck.
‘This is how you come out, huh?’
A sharp blue light shone from Chung Myung’s eyes.