Whispered words travel thousands of miles.

A rumor that could not be stopped with human power. Rumors that the worldly martial arts competition ended with Shaolin’s victory.

And everyone nodded their heads when they first heard it.

“As expected! It had to be Shaolin!”

But everyone who heard about the situation ended up tilting their heads,

“Huh? Mount Hua won? What is this now?”

When they finally heard the entire story, they were too shocked.

“What? They kicked the winner’s title away with their own feet?”

This was unbelievable.

“Oh my god, then Shaolin was humiliated!”

“What the hell, Mount Hua’s Divine Dragon was capable of such a thing?”

“Uh, Shaolin… Shaolin…”

People liked rumors.

What they particularly like is someone else’s scandal and the destruction of high-nosed bastards.

Rumor had it that Shaolin, who was guarding rank number one for hundreds of years, had been humiliated, and it spread across at a high speed!

In the process, Mount Hua was discussed countless times.

“But, it is Mount Hua. And doesn’t this mean they have reached the finals?”

“It isn’t just the finals. Not just reaching it, but they had the best results compared to any other sect out there. There was no other sect there that could surpass Mount Hua.”

“Hehe. This is the first time I am hearing about Mount Hua, but it was such a strong sect?”

“In the past, it was actually in the Nine Great Sects. The Southern Island had managed to replace it. Anyway, after regaining its former status, things will finally get interesting in the future.”

“Wait! Hang on! I cannot be the only one who knows this! I need to tell others too!”

“Uh! Running like that will get you hurt! You!”

Those who heard the rumors wanted to tell it to someone else quickly. Thanks to this, the rumors continued to spread around.

And Mount Hua, the protagonist of the rumor, left an uncomfortable mark on Shaolin and departed for Shaanxi….

“… we should have.”

At the sight which unfolded before him, Hyun Sang trembled.

‘Is this fine?’

Of course, this wasn’t a bad sight.

It wasn’t like they won the competition, but it wasn’t normal to be the runner-up in such competitions. And did they even think of this result when they first came to participate?

Besides, they were not just a runner-up. They almost swallowed first place. Perhaps this was more valuable than actually winning the competition.

So…

‘It is the meat and the food that are tough to understand.’

Hyun Young loved his disciples.

Although he would speak harshly, no one in Mount Hua doubted that he truly cared for them. So he must have wanted to feed them something amazing.

Of course, he could understand it till then. But…

“That… Sect Leader.”

“Um?”

Hyun Jong, who was next to him, looked at him, and Hyun Sang spoke in a low voice,

“Of course I… I think we can have celebrations for this.”

“Right.”

“And in a celebration, food shouldn’t be missing.”

“But?”

“But…”

Hyun Sang opened his mouth with a trembling voice,

“But this is Shaolin? Are we really alright doing this?”

The eyes of Hyun Sang were a bit shocked.

He could understand the disciples eating meat. In the meantime, they have been feeding them meat, even if it was by sneaking it through.

And it wasn’t like they would come back here so they could have meat. But…

A bonfire outside with a whole pig being roasted.

‘… isn’t this too much?’

Just eating meat in a temple itself was bad, but to roast one outside… This went beyond being unpolite to Shaolin… It was more like they had crossed a line they shouldn’t have crossed…

‘No, what is this? Let’s say it.’

After all, meat is just meat. What is the difference between pre-cooked and grilling on the spot?

The problem?

“Kuak! Sahyung, have one glass!”

“Nice! Nice! You too!”

“Gul! You did well trying to get to the top!”

“Hehehe! I will slowly follow you, Sasuk!”

Gulp.

“…”

Gulp. Gulp.

“Kuaaaak!”

“How much is this alcohol? Kuak!”

Hyun Sang was not sure.

“Is this really fine?”

In the sacred grounds of Shaolin, meat, and alcohol were being consumed openly.

Wasn’t there a law for everything in this world?

‘It isn’t right to do this here.’

Anyone who saw this would think that they were some random bandits on the mountain.

Hyun Sang, who didn’t like this, tried to persuade Hyun Jong,

“Sect Leader, I think this is a bit…”

But before he could even speak, Hyun Young walked in,

“Again! What kind of nonsense are you trying to say?”

“…”

“I am here trying to feed my kids!”

“No, I meant… it isn’t that the kids didn’t suffer…”

“Aren’t you here to try and save the face of Shaolin? Do you think they would be grateful for that?”

“Kuak!”

Hyun Sang knew.

Considering what Chung Myung did in the spar, Shaolin and Mount Hua already had an irreversible relationship, and it didn’t matter what else they did here.

Nevertheless, seeing the difficult Hyun Sang unable to handle this, Hyun Jong smiled,

“Wouldn’t this be fine?”

“… Sect Leader.”

“These kids have done so well up till now. But that is the same as saying that they are still holding onto the competition, unable to let go of the stress and the fatigue they had built up till now.”

Hyun Sang nodded his head.

And it would always be more difficult than they thought. Even Hyun Sang, who had never had to enter a fight, felt extreme exhaustion over his body.

“Isn’t the road back home long? Before we leave, I want the children to relax a bit. You understand it, right?”

“I was short-sighted.”

Hyun Sang bowed at the words of Hyun Jong, who smiled and patted him.

“I know. We always need to have someone who talks like you in the sect. But let’s tone ourselves down for a bit.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

“See. You can see the way these kids are enjoying it, right?”

“Yes…”

Hyun Sang looked around, a bit satisfied.

He could see Chung Myung with a bottle of alcohol in his mouth.

“…”

Gulp. Gulp.

The drink was finished in an instant. Chung Myung pulled the empty bottle out and put a new one there.

Gulp. Gulp.

“…”

Would he die here or something?

“Chung Myung seems to be in a good mood.”

Uh?

Was that drunken man looking like someone who was in a good mood?

Sect Leader?

“Hahaha. Heroes naturally like alcohol.”

Huh?

Hero?

What was this?

He couldn’t easily agree with the words of Hyun Young, and Hyun Sang went back to looking at Chung Myung. Normally, there must have been someone nagging next to him. Surely it….

“Uhehehehe.”

“….”

Unfortunately, today seemed like an exception for all. Yoon Jong and Jo Gul, who would normally stop him, were now drinking along with him.

‘Yoon Jong and that child too…?’

In this Mount Hua, the person who tried to protect the spirit of Tao in Mount Hua was Yoon Jong. As a warrior, Baek Cheon could be praised, but Yoon Jong was someone who would protect Mount Hua till the end.

Yoon Jong could be called the suitable vessel to guide someone.

And Yoon Jong would have normally restrained others and himself too. But today, even he was gulping down the alcohol.

And Jo Gul had double the size of belly compared to Yoon Jong…

“Uh?”

Yu Yiseol was asleep in one corner with her head banging on the table. And Tang Soso was holding the sleeping person and uttering some gibberish.

“Haha…”

There was Baek Cheon, who was in his normal sense, but he didn’t look that great. With the red face, he seemed busy receiving the cups from the others.

“Hu…. Huh.”

Seeing this mess, Hyun Sang was at a loss for words, so he laughed. And Hyun Jong said,

“It must have been difficult for everyone.”

“Yes….”

“How could you think that these children do not know that Mount Hua’s re-emergence depended on them?”

Hyun Sang went silent.

Hyun Jong spoke a little bitterly,

“Everyone can put down their burdens for a while now. So laugh and talk all you want. For now.”

Hyun Jong looked at his disciples with a sad face.

Thinking that innocent children like this were going to suffer in the future, he felt very uncomfortable.

And then someone broke his thoughts,

“Sect Leader, you shouldn’t shoulder it alone either.”

“Uh?”

It was Hyun Young,

“I know your role needs you to work, but sometimes putting that burden down helps us. If it hadn’t been for the children who can actually bear the burden, would they be able to enjoy all this now?”

“Um.”

“Of course, we are terrible sinners to the children, but never act like you feel sorry for them. That would be an outright disrespect for them. Aren’t they the proud children of ours who achieved the best results here?”

Hyun Jong nodded his head quietly,

“Right. You are right.”

I am proud.

‘Very proud of them.’

Hyun Jong wiped his eyes. His eyes always hurt when he looked at them.

This was unique…

“Uhahahaha!”

At that moment, Chung Myung jumped up from his seat and shoved a bottle into the mouth of Baek Sang.

“Um! Umm!”

“Drink! Drink! Today we die from eating and drinking!”

“Uhhhh!”

Baek Sang resisted and struggled, but Chung Myung made him drink, and he giggled, looking for his next victim.

And finally, one person got caught.

“Sasuk?”

“…”

“Dong-Ryong?”

“…”

Baek Cheon, who was already red in the face, absorbed in his intoxication, looked at Chung Myung with shaking eyes,

“Ah, no! I will die if I take in any more…”

But before he could even speak, Chung Myung put the bottle to his mouth.

“It is fine. It is fine. You won’t die so easily.”

“Ugh.”

Baek Cheon began to lean back with the bottle in his mouth.

At that moment, Yu Yiseol, who raised her head in a moment of consciousness, turned to Chung Myung,

“Grumpy old man.”

Thud!

And she went back to sleep on the table.

‘Look at her.’

Hyun Sang smiled.

Well, did this look like a celebration a Taoist sect would do? Drinking alcohol and eating meat.

‘No matter what the sect leader says, this is a bit too much…’

It was in that moment…

Chung Myung, who looked around, stopped.

“….”

“Hehe, Sect Leader?”

“…”

“Elder?”

The devil… sorry, Chung Myung began to approach them with a bottle in hand. When a bright smile formed on his lips, Hyun Sang closed his eyes.

“Amitabha.”

A man stood in front of the pavilion and chanted.

After hesitating a few times, he let out a deep sigh as he knocked on the door.

“Are you here?”

A small voice.

That was why there was no answer.

He let out a bigger sigh and knocked a little harder.

“Are you here?”

But this time, too, there came no reply.

“Um?”

The man tilted his head.

‘Did he leave?’

It couldn’t be. He could feel the human presence from inside.

After thinking for a moment, he pushed the door open. The door began to open with a slight squeak as it wasn’t locked.

“Amitabha. A monk of Shaolin enters. Sect Leader…. W-what is this?”

The monk tilted his head, shocked by what he saw.

‘Did a war happen here?’

The inside of this large hall was a complete mess. The table in the center was littered with food plates and empty bottles, and the disciples of Mount Hua were scattered on the floor as if they had been attacked.

‘D-did they get attacked?’

Fortunately, it didn’t seem like they were dead, considering how their chest moved.

“Tha… that?”

The monk, who observed this situation for a moment, opened his eyes.

Now it was clear what was happening inside.

“Alcohol? And… meat?”

Come to think of it, those were the bones of pigs?

The monk who noticed the bonfire in the yard touched his neck.

“Wh-what kind of sect is….!”

How arrogant were they going to be?

He hurriedly shut his mouth with his hand.

-Never fight! Never!

He barely remembered the words Abbot said before coming here.

He sighed, thinking he should wake someone up.

At that time…

One of the people lying on the floor raised their head.

‘Is he in a bad mood?’

The person began to rub their eyes with their sleeve. It didn’t seem like he had a great rest.

‘Because he must have been drunk. He should be feeling hungover?’

What made him angry was the fact that the guy rubbing his eyes was Chung Myung! The one who beat Hae Yeon.

Chung Myung, still half awake, tilted his head.

“Uh…”

“…”

“Who are you?”

“…”

The monk sighed again,

“It is said that the world has a law. Well, is the Sect Leader here?”

“Uh… the Sect Leader..”

Chung Myung shook his head and then pointed to one side.

“He is there.”

“Uh?”

The monk turned and then froze.

Hyun Jong, with a crooked form, was across the stairs.

“…”

“Do you want me to wake him up?”

“… No, I will wait.”

“I see.”

The monk stowed his dissatisfaction inside.

‘Amitabha.’

Where was Shaolin heading to?

“Amitabha!”

A nervous chant erupted from the monk; Chung Myung yawned as he asked,

“But… why do you need to see Sect Leader?”

The monk sighed,

“I am here to deliver a message from the Abbot.”

Chung Myung’s eyes narrowed.