The disciples of Mount Hua, who were exhausted and on the verge of collapse from running, came to a hurried stop. Unfortunately for them, they happened to stop right as the Southern Edge Sect arrived at the same location.
Standing next to the third-class disciples, who were gasping and panting for air, Chung Myung awkwardly tilted his head and looked at Sama Seung.
“Me?”
A face that didn’t seem to understand anything. Seeing the child’s attempt to act innocent, Sama Seung asked again.
“I asked you, what did you just say?”
“Oh, that.’
Instead of answering, Chung Myung kicked the already staggering Jo Gul’s shin.
“Ack!”
“Fuck you! Do you have a death wish!? Can’t you run straight!?”
“I am your Sahyung, you jerk!”
“Ah, I forgot for a second there.”
Chung Myung scratched his head and grinned as he looked at Sama Seung.
“That must be what you heard. So embarrassing.”
“…”
Sama Seung glared at Chung Myung with venom dripping from his gaze.
Sama Seung was not stupid enough to misunderstand who those words were directed at. There was no way he would be deceived by a child and his antics.
“This…”
At that moment, someone gently tugged on Sama Seung’s sleeve. At this, he stopped himself from speaking and glanced back.
It was Jin Geum-Ryong.
“Elder, nothing good can come from arguing with a child.”
“Hmm.”
Sama Seung sighed and nodded.
No matter how angry he was, he was an elder of the Southern Edge Sect. The difference in status was too great for him to speak to a child. If rumors spread that a third-class disciple from Mount Hua and an elder from the Southern Edge Sect engaged in an argument, it would disgrace his name.
Jin Geum-Ryong stepped forward.
“Who is this young disciple?”
“Who am I? Would you even know if I told you?”
“…”
Jin Geum-Ryong looked at Chung Myung with blank eyes.
He had never before met anyone who answered him with a question like this. Feeling beyond upset, he calmed himself and smiled.
“Perhaps I might know you? So, why don’t you tell me?”
“Well, it isn’t difficult. I am Chung Myung.”
“Chung Myung?”
Jin Geum-Ryong’s smiling face immediately went stiff.
It was a familiar name.
Wasn’t Chung Myung the name of the Mount Hua disciple that humiliated the Southern Edge Sect?
Jin Geum-Ryong narrowed his eyes and looked at Chung Myung.
‘He’s younger than I thought.’
He thought it was absurd.
Thanks to Chung Myung curing Elder Hwang, the Eunha Guild severed their relationship with the Southern Edge Sect and began supporting Mount Hua.
It was such an embarrassment that the Southern Edge Sect refused to discuss the matter, even more so because Mount Hua was at its center.
Thanks to that, the elders and the sect leader were furious. But the one that caused such shame to fall upon the sect was this young child?
“I see. Disciple Chung Myung. But it seems like disciple Chung Myung never learned proper manners.”
Although it was an outright rebuke at his attitude, Chung Myung picked his ears and whistled.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t hear you very well. Could you come closer and speak up a bit?”
“… what did you say?”
“Are you deaf? Come closer and talk to me. Can’t you hear?”
Jin Geum-Ryong’s face hardened.
‘Just what the hell does this kid believe in?’
If what Lee Song-Baek said was true, this child was knocked back after one strike. This child had little training in martial arts. What did he believe in that gave him the confidence to speak such nonsense?
Unless he was someone with no sense.
It made Jim Geum-Ryong want to pull out his sword and cut down the arrogant child right in front of him.
However, this was Mount Hua and not the Southern Edge sect. He couldn’t act carelessly here. This wasn’t Jin Geum-Ryong’s role to play.
Gnashing his teeth, he tried to speak softly.
“Aren’t you a third-class disciple of Mount Hua?”
“That’s right.”
“Mount Hua and the Southern Edge Sect have shared weal and woe in the past. Since that’s the case, and since I am the senior, shouldn’t you be the one to come closer to speak? Of course, as long as you have the slightest sense of manners.”
“Ah, really?”
Chung Myung chuckled.
“Then, why didn’t you say that to your elder earlier? If you think that it’s more polite for me to come closer to sasuk, then shouldn’t the elder of the Southern Edge Sect be the one going to visit our sect leader?”
‘Ah, shit.’
Aghast, Jin Geum-Ryong hastily fell silent.
He was trying to scold Chung Myung, but this child used it as an opening to point out Sama Seung’s rudeness.
‘I ended up making a mistake.’
No, it wasn’t a mistake.
This small child led the flow of conversation like that. Letting Jin Geum-Ryong stumble onto his mistake and admit his elder’s fault.
“This…”
At that time, Sama Seung, who was watching the situation, opened his mouth.
“This young man’s mouth doesn’t seem ordinary.”
“Elder.”
“Move.”
Jin Geum-Ryong, who bit his lip, stared at Chung Myung and then moved back without another word.
Sama Seung smiled.
“Since your actions came from your pure-hearted desire to protect your sect leader’s dignity, I won’t hold you accountable this time.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“But you had best remember one thing. Your rudeness and mine aren’t the same. Do you know why?”
“… Well?”
“Because of power.”
Sama Seung spoke in a low voice.
“It is only when one’s actions are pointed out that impoliteness is considered rude. If no one is willing to point it out, it is simply a passing remark. The right to point out such impoliteness comes from power. Your actions are rude because of your weakness, but my impoliteness cannot be considered rude because of my power.”
Chung Myung frowned.
“I think you should learn to speak more kindly before worrying about being polite.”
“… what a crazy one.”
Sama Seung turned away from Chung Myung and looked at Hyun Sang.
“I apologize for the disrespect earlier.”
“Ah, no. Elder, why are you like this?”
“Now that the child pointed out what I did, wasn’t I being rude? I need to apologize.”
Hyun Sang wasn’t sure what to do.
It was a strange situation where the person who committed the mistake apologized, yet the person receiving the apology was the one that felt more uncomfortable.
Sama Seung smiled and looked back at Chung Myung before speaking.
“Courage is easy to forgive when you’re young. However, one day, your actions may cause you to lose your head. Remember my words.”
With that, Sama Seung turned around.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, elder.”
Guided by Hyun Sang, he led the disciples and began walking again.
Meanwhile, Lee Seong-Baek bowed his head to Chung Myung.
When Chung Myung returned his greeting with a slight nod, he smiled faintly and walked ahead.
As the Southern Edge Sect disciples moved away, Jo Gul spoke with a pale face.
“Have you lost it? What the hell are you trying to do?”
“What?”
“That person is an elder of the Southern Edge Sect! Elder! Southern Edge Sect!”
“Yah!”
Chung Myung kicked Jo Gul in the shin again. He struck the same place as before, and Jo Gul agonizingly clutched his leg as he rolled along the floor.
“Ack!”
“Are you a disciple of Mount Hua? Didn’t you hear the bullshit he was spouting towards the sect leader? You think we should hold back?”
“Do you think we’re enduring because we want to?”
Yoon Jong stepped forward with a stiff face.
“Of course, we’re angry, but his words are right. A man without power has no right to point out the flaws of someone who does have strength.”
“Who said we lacked power?”
“…. Huh?”
Chung Myung turned his head and looked at the disciples of the Southern Edge Sect, who were walking away.
‘Those bastards, how dare they.’
It was annoying that those thieves were brazen enough to walk into Mount Hua on their own feet, but they even dared to insult the sect leader.
Even though Chung Myung believes that the current sect leader of Mount Hua lacks the qualifications of a real sect leader, Hyun Jong is still Mount Hua’s representative. So, Chung Myung must protect his dignity from others.
For those idiots to insult the sect leader of Mount Hua…
Chung Myung’s eyes began to blaze in a fury.
“I tried to be good to them. But those bastards, even in a new life, want to start fights with me.”
“… No, let’s calm down….”
“Chung Myung. Please, I beg of you. Let’s think first and then act. Huh?”
The third-class disciples panicked when they saw the look in Chung Myung’s eyes. They all knew they would be unable to do anything if Chung Myung got angry.
At that moment, Chung Myung shook his head.
“Did all the Sahyungs get a good look?”
“… what?”
“What those bastards are doing. Even if they ignore Mount Hua, there Is a limit to it. Are Sahyungs going to endure everything they say?”
“… no, we don’t want to tolerate it either. But how do you….”
“Listen well, Sahyungs.”
Chung Myung spoke with eyes that didn’t stop blazing.
“If you lose to those bastards, you will lose everything.”
“…”
The faces of Yoon Jong and all the third-class disciples went pale.
Chung Myung’s eyes were spitting flames.
“You can lose to anyone else. It doesn’t matter where you go or who beats you up. Only those Southern Edge Sect bastards, they are the only ones that you can never lose to. Even if you have to die. Anyone who makes me see such a shameful sight had better be prepared. There will come a day where the one who makes others shed tears of blood will shed tears of blood themselves!”
‘What you’re saying doesn’t fit the situation, you brat!’
‘It is the other way around for us!’
‘You’re the one making us cry bloody tears!’
“Why aren’t you answering?”
Chung Myung asked with eyes sparkling in madness. Just the sight made a chill run down their spine.
“N-No. We want to do that too. But we…”
“What? We what?”
Chung Myung approached the third-class disciples with a frightful glare.
“Are you not confident that you can win?”
“R-rather than that….”
“Are you confident enough to die?”
“…”
“Let me see a single loss. Just one. That’s fine, right. Let’s all die together. You die, and I die too.”
“…”
The Mount Hua and Southern Edge Sect conference.
An event that was held to deepen the friendship between Mount Hua and Southern Edge.
However, now it seems like blood would be spilled because of one person’s anger.
“That little boy….”
Jong Seo-Han glanced back. Jin Geum-Ryong approached him and quietly asked.
“Are you concerned about him?”
Jong Seo-Han whispered, making sure that no one else heard him.
“Rather than being concerned, it feels ridiculous. I don’t know where such a kid came from.”
“Leave it alone.”
Jin Geum-Ryong spoke in a stiff voice.
“It is the privilege of the weak to go wild and crazy without knowing the truth. Only a foal who doesn’t know how high the sky is would act so recklessly.”
“That is true, but….”
“I have no remorse; he acted arrogantly on his own will. Since we’ve come here for the conference, there will be plenty of opportunities for us to punish him in the future.”
“I’d love to see if he can still talk like that once I tear off his mouth.”
Jin Geum-Ryong smiled brightly.
“That isn’t something a virtuous disciple should say.”
“He was the one who started this fight.”
“True.”
To be precise, the Southern Edge sect started this fight, but Jin Geum-Ryong didn’t bother pointing that out.
“Don’t worry about useless things.”
Sama Seung, who was ahead, spoke in a low voice at that time.
“In the end, a warrior will always speak with his sword. No matter how sharp his tongue may be, nothing will change.”
“Yes, elder.”
“Strength isn’t everything. But this is a place where nothing can be done without power. You all shouldn’t forget that fact.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Sama Seung narrowed his eyes.
“This time the conference will be interesting. Seeing them behave so arrogantly, they must have something to believe in. We must be sure to thoroughly trample their beliefs and quash their hope. Do you understand?”
“Yes! Elder!”
Sama Seung nodded his head with a smile.
‘A very interesting one.’
Still, it was somewhat commendable. Even the elders of Mount Hua were fearful about speaking against the Southern Edge Sect, but that young man stepped forward fearlessly…
Sama Seung stopped and looked back.
The disciples who were following him were startled and halted in place.
“Elder?”
“What’s wrong?”
Sama Seung, who was staring back with a fear-inducing gaze, soon calmed his expression.
“No, nothing. It was nothing.”
The elder then turned around while gently waving his hand.
Yet, his face hardened again.
Chung Myung clearly pointed out Sama Seung’s fault. That meant… he’d heard how rude he was to Mount Hua’s sect leader?
‘Then…he heard what I said at the gate from that distance?’
It was such a great distance that Sama Seung hadn’t even known about Chung Myung’s existence.
‘No, that can’t be right.’
He must be mistaken.
‘I must have been nervous. To think such absurd thoughts.’
With a low smile, Sama Seung hurried along.
However, his steps were a little heavier than before.
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