The abbot's fingers trembled slightly.
"That…"
Watching Chung Myung turn away after speaking his mind, the abbot felt as if he had swallowed a hot coal.
But there was nothing he could do. He knew all too well how futile it would be to argue with Chung Myung once he had already turned his back.
"Mount Hua's Sword Saint!"
The atmosphere shifted completely. Now, no one dared to challenge the words of Mount Hua's Sword Saint.
No matter how loudly the abbot shouted, here, his words carried no weight.
So, the abbot redirected his arrows at someone else, not Chung Myung.
"Is… is this what the Heavenly Friends Alliance stands for?"
He tried to steady his voice and glared directly at Hyun Jong and Tang Gunak.
No matter how much authority Mount Hua's Sword Saint's words held, he was not officially appointed within the Alliance. That meant his words could not represent the will of the Heavenly Friends Alliance.
Ultimately, the will of the Heavenly Friends Alliance was determined by Hyun Jong and Tang Gunak.
The abbot pressed them with his gaze.
"Answer me. Is this truly the will of the Heavenly Friends Alliance?"
Hyun Jong met his gaze calmly.
"It's a bit much to call it the will of the Heavenly Friends Alliance, but I'm not certain…"
The abbot's face twisted at the vague response.
"Sect leader!"
He tried to press him urgently, but Hyun Jong simply shook his head slowly.
"As that child said, even if given another chance, we would head to Plum Blossom Island without hesitation."
"…"
"There's not a shred of shame in what we did. If the world criticizes us, wouldn't that be inevitable? From the start, everything we did wasn't meant to be shown to the world, so we have no choice but to accept it."
The abbot stared at Hyun Jong, eyes wide with disbelief.
What did all this mean?
Wasn't this whole scandal supposed to be revealed to the world? Would they accept the criticism?
Could these words really come from someone who led a sect or an alliance?
"Abbot."
Hyun Jong sighed.
"Nothing in this world is perfect."
"…"
"That's why nothing is completely right. So I can only ask myself: Am I truly on the right path?"
This probably wasn't meant as a criticism of the abbot, but the abbot felt as if Hyun Jong was silently asking, "Do you really believe you are on the right side?" A deep discomfort gnawed at him.
Yet Hyun Jong's eyes did not waver. In their depths lay his unwavering belief in his convictions.
"My heart tells me I did the right thing. So what does it matter what others think? Please do not force Shaolin's way upon us. The Heavenly Friends Alliance will do what it believes is right."
"…"
"I think that's the answer. Then."
Hyun Jong stepped back.
Of course, the abbot wanted to hold him there. He knew he couldn't let them leave like this.
But he was powerless. Someone approached from behind Hyun Jong.
A figure whose once white robe was stained crimson with blood. A person limping forward steps heavy with sincere resentment.
No matter how urgent the abbot's thoughts, he couldn't ignore this person and stop Hyun Jong.
That person was none other than Namgung Do-Wei.
"… Disciple Namgung."
Namgung Do-Wei stood before the abbot, eyes burning with resentment.
Why wouldn't he be?
Shaolin had utterly betrayed Namgung's hopes.
It would have been better if he had never appeared by the riverside, but to come all this way and watch Namgung be thoroughly trampled was unforgivable.
Of course, the abbot had his reasons, but would they matter to the Namgung family, who had endured such hell?
Even the abbot never thought he could be forgiven by Namgung. Yet when he faced Namgung Do-Wei—the Namgung family member who harbored the deepest grudge against Shaolin—he was left speechless.
While the abbot hesitated, Namgung Do-Wei spoke first.
"… Collusion."
A hollow laugh escaped him.
"If what the abbot says is true, then our Namgung family saved their lives in exchange for collusion between the Four Precepts Alliance and the Heavenly Friends Alliance."
"D-disciple."
"What should we do?"
A murderous glare suddenly flared in Namgung Do-Wei's sunken eyes.
"This pitiful life saved by their dirty collusion—should I commit suicide now and reclaim your honor?"
"Disciple Namgung. What I mean is…"
"Haha… Hahahaha."
Namgung Do-Wei let out a twisted laugh.
"Those who should have died and fallen have come back to life for no reason and upset the abbot. I apologize for that."
"That is not what I meant."
"Really?"
Namgung Do-Wei's serious expression, as if he had never laughed, pressed the abbot.
His eyes asked:
Did Shaolin truly want the Namgung family to return alive from that island? From the moment he gave up on rescuing them, didn't he wish there were no survivors?
The abbot could not answer.
If Namgung Do-Wei had been the only problem, he could have suppressed him with his authority. But when all the Namgung survivors who had regained their senses looked at him as their mortal enemy, what could he say?
Even if he had ten mouths, he would have nothing to say.
"If you don't want to see me, then it's right for us to disappear."
Namgung Do-Wei slowly looked around at everyone.
"As the young lord of the Namgung family… and acting lord with the official lord no longer present!"
His voice rang out majestically.
"From now on, the Namgung family will withdraw from the Five Great Families and pledge our friendship to the Heavenly Friends Alliance."
"N-Namgung disciple!"
A voice close to a scream escaped the abbot.
He had thought Namgung Do-Wei would naturally resent the Nine Great Sects, but how could he have known he would make such a bold declaration right then?
"This is not something to be decided emotionally!"
"Right, you should be rational. Rational like the abbot who thoroughly watched over Plum Blossom Island from here!"
"…"
Namgung Do-Wei bared his teeth and spat those words at the speechless abbot.
"So when you claim that the Heavenly Friends Alliance is in collusion with the Evil Sect, please include this as well: the Namgung family has also become lackeys of those Evil Sect bastards."
"…"
"Please do that, abbot."
Namgung Do-Wei turned away as if unwilling to speak further.
The abbot's face went pale.
'T-this cannot be happening.'
The Namgung family alone could not be sent to the Heavenly Friends Alliance. No, even if they were to join, it couldn't be now!
Who would believe this?
The moment the Namgung family joined the Heavenly Friends Alliance, everything the abbot had said would be rendered meaningless. Even his suspicions about the Heavenly Friends Alliance's intentions would become a scandal!
All his justifications would benefit the Heavenly Friends Alliance, and the status of Shaolin and the Nine Great Sects would be utterly destroyed.
That must be stopped. That one thing!
"Disciple! Think again! Namgung family…"
"Enough!"
At that moment, someone grabbed the abbot's shoulder.
Turning around, he saw Jong Ri-Hyung approaching, his face contorted with concern.
"This is not the time, abbot."
"… Sect leader."
"It's not wrong to raise suspicion. But there is a time and place, isn't there? Injured people are groaning over there. Suppose the abbot, who speaks of the Buddha's mercy, prioritizes revealing the truth and saving Shaolin's reputation over treating the wounded. How would the world see him?"
"You're being too much!"
The abbot shouted, his face flushed red.
Jong Ri-Hyung bit his lip tightly. He wanted to say harsher words but held back.
No matter how distasteful, Shaolin was the leader of the Nine Great Sects.
Kongtong was one of the Nine Great Sects, and among them, Shaolin was the only sect worth siding with.
Whether he liked it or not, he had to maintain relations with Shaolin, so he couldn't press further.
"… Just let it go, for now, abbot."
Lowering his voice, he added,
"Aren't there too many eyes watching?"
At those words, the abbot instinctively turned around. The beggars of the Beggars Union, standing behind Shaolin and Kongtong, watched the scene with bright eyes.
Their job was to prevent rumors from spreading worldwide. No matter how much the Beggars Union controlled information, they couldn't block all eyes and mouths.
And no matter how he looked at them, their eyes were not favorable to him. If he pushed harder, who knew what words might spread?
'Damn it.'
The abbot bit his lip. His fist, hidden beneath his long sleeve, trembled.
Now, he had no choice but to admit it: the mistake he made at the river was too great. But even so, wasn't the price too severe and harsh?
The abbot felt like beating his chest in frustration.
They had rushed all this way to save Namgung. How could he not know that Shaolin also had good intentions toward the Namgung family?
"Then do handle things, abbot."
Hyun Jong bowed deeply toward the abbot.
That extreme courtesy seemed to show his determination not to be caught even a little until the moment of departure.
He soon straightened and, without waiting for the abbot to respond, turned and shouted,
"Find a place to stay and move the injured there!"
"Yes, sect leader!"
The disciples of the Nine Great Sects and the followers of the Heavenly Friends Alliance began moving busily according to Hyun Jong's orders. Tang Gunak, who had stayed until the end, also turned away after casting the abbot a cold glance.
The abbot stared straight ahead, eyes red, his body trembling from extreme humiliation.
The Heavenly Friends Alliance, perfectly aligned, moved away from them in an orderly fashion.
'In the end…'
Blood trickled down his clenched lips.
'Is this how it will end?'
The abbot did not want to admit it, but at this point, he had no choice.
'I cannot embrace them.'
Even when he had friction with Mount Hua, he had been furious, but deep down, he believed he would lead the Heavenly Friends Alliance back onto the right path. The conflict, born of a temporary difference of opinion, would naturally heal over time.
But now, he knew for certain.
They were not the ones who could stand with the Justice faction.
"… In the end, it is just as you said."
"Uh?"
"No. It's nothing."
The abbot's eyes held a coldness, unlike his usual self.
Today, at this very moment,
An irreparable rift had formed between the Nine Great Sects and the Heavenly Friends Alliance—the two great forces representing justice in Kangho.
No one knew where this divide, born in chaotic times when the Evil Sect ran rampant, would lead Kangho.