The disciples of Mount Huoshan, who were running as if their lives depended on it, suddenly came to a halt.
Unfortunately, they had reached a point very close to the disciples of the Jongnam sect.
Gasping for breath, the three great disciples stood beside Cheongmyeong, who tilted his head as he looked at Samaseung.
“What?”
His face showed complete confusion.
Seeing that expression, Samaseung's eyes filled with anger.
“I asked what you just said.”
“Oh, that?”
Instead of answering, Cheongmyeong kicked the shins of his staggering companion, Jogol.
“Ow!”
“Are you trying to die? Can’t you run properly?”
“I’m your senior, you brat!”
“Oh, I forgot for a moment.”
Cheongmyeong scratched his head and grinned at Samaseung.
“I guess you heard that. How embarrassing.”
“……”
Samaseung glared at Cheongmyeong with a look that could kill.
He was not someone who would be fooled by such childish antics.
“Umm…”
At that moment, someone gently tugged at Samaseung's sleeve.
He was about to scold them but paused and turned slightly.
Jin Geumryong whispered softly, “Elder, it’s not good to argue with a child.”
“Hmm.”
Samaseung nodded, though he was still furious.
He was an elder of Jongnam, and the difference in status was too great to be bickering with a child.
If word got out that the great disciples of Mount Huoshan had a quarrel with an elder of Jongnam, it would be a disgrace beyond measure.
Jin Geumryong stepped forward as if to scratch Samaseung's itch.
“Who is this disciple?”
“Me? Would you know if I told you?”
“……”
Jin Geumryong stared blankly at Cheongmyeong.
He had never encountered anyone who responded to him in such a manner before.
It was beyond unpleasant; it felt like an awakening of sorts.
Chuckling, Jin Geumryong smiled and said generously, “Perhaps I might know. So, would you tell me?”
“It’s nothing difficult. My name is Cheongmyeong.”
“Cheongmyeong?”
Jin Geumryong's previously soft expression hardened instantly.
The name was familiar.
Wasn’t Cheongmyeong the name of the disciple from Mount Huoshan who had embarrassed Jongnam at the Eunha Guild?
Jin Geumryong narrowed his eyes and looked at Cheongmyeong.
‘You’re younger than I expected.’
It was absurd to think that the person who had caused such humiliation to Jongnam, allowing the Eunha Guild to sever ties with them and instead ally with Mount Huoshan, was this child who looked like he hadn’t even dried the blood from his head yet.
“I see. You are Cheongmyeong. But it seems you haven’t learned much about manners.”
His words were a blatant reprimand, yet Cheongmyeong merely picked at his ears and blew air through his lips.
“Sorry, but I can’t hear you well. Could you come closer and speak louder?”
“……What did you just say?”
“Are you deaf? Come here and say it. Can’t you hear me?”
Jin Geumryong's face stiffened.
‘What does this brat think he’s doing?’
If the rumors about his fight with Lee Songbaek were true, he shouldn’t be that strong.
What gave him the audacity to act so defiantly in front of him?
He felt like drawing his sword and cutting down this insolent brat right then and there.
But this was Mount Huoshan, not Jongnam.
He couldn’t recklessly escalate the situation.
That was not Jin Geumryong’s role.
Grinding his teeth, Jin Geumryong spoke softly, “Aren’t you one of the three great disciples of Mount Huoshan?”
“That’s right.”
“Mount Huoshan and Jongnam have shared a history of mutual respect. So, as someone who is your senior, wouldn’t it be more appropriate for you to come closer rather than me calling you over? If you know even a little about manners.”
“Oh, really?”
Cheongmyeong grinned.
“Then how about you tell that to the elder of Jongnam? It seems more polite for me to call our sect leader than for the elder of Jongnam to call me over, don’t you think?”
Jin Geumryong suddenly shut his mouth.
He had intended to scold Cheongmyeong, but it ended up sounding like he was pointing out Samaseung's mistake.
‘What a blunder.’
No, it wasn’t a mistake.
That brat had led the conversation to this point without saying anything himself, causing Jin Geumryong to trip over his own words.
“Umm…”
At that moment, Samaseung, who had been watching the situation unfold, finally spoke.
“This brat has quite the tongue.”
“Elder.”
“Step back.”
Jin Geumryong, biting his lip, shot one last glare at Cheongmyeong before stepping back without a word.
Samaseung smirked.
“I appreciate your concern for your sect leader, so I won’t hold this against you this time.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“But remember this well. Your rudeness and my rudeness are not the same. Do you know why?”
“……Well?”
“Because of power.”
Samaseung spoke in a low voice.
“Rudeness only becomes rudeness when someone points it out. If no one points it out, it simply passes by. And the authority to point it out comes from power. Your rudeness, lacking power, is indeed rudeness, but my rudeness, possessing power, is not.”
Cheongmyeong frowned.
“I think you should learn to speak more simply before worrying about manners.”
“……You’re just a madman.”
Samaseung turned his body and slightly bowed to Hyun Sang.
“I apologize for the rudeness earlier.”
“Oh, no. Elder, why are you doing this?”
“That child pointed out my manners, so that has now become rudeness. Therefore, I must apologize.”
Hyun Sang was at a loss.
The one who had made a mistake was apologizing, while the one receiving the apology felt even more uncomfortable.
Seeing this, Samaseung smiled and turned to Cheongmyeong.
“Childish arrogance is easily forgiven. But that arrogance will one day cost you dearly. Remember my words.”
With that, Samaseung turned away.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, Elder.”
Guided by Hyun Sang, he began to walk again with his disciples.
During this time, Lee Songbaek slightly bowed his head toward Cheongmyeong.
When Cheongmyeong returned the gesture with a brief nod, he smiled faintly and soon walked away.
As the disciples of Jongnam moved away, Jogol, with a pale face, opened his mouth.
“Are you crazy? What were you trying to do?”
“What do you mean?”
“That person is an elder of Jongnam! Jongnam! Jongnam!”
“Ugh!”
Cheongmyeong kicked Jogol’s shins again, the same spot as before.
Jogol clutched his shins and rolled on the ground.
“Ahhh!”
“Those so-called disciples of Mount Huoshan, huh? Are you telling me to endure while some ragtag bunch insults our sect leader?”
“Do you think we want to endure?”
Yoon Jong stepped forward with a stern face.
“I’m angry too, but what that person said is true. Those without power have no right to point out the rudeness of others.”
“Who says we’re powerless?”
“……Huh?”
Cheongmyeong turned his head sharply to look at the departing disciples of Jongnam.
‘Those brats dare.’
It was infuriating that those thieves had walked into Mount Huoshan on their own, and now they had the audacity to insult the sect leader?
No matter how much Cheongmyeong believed that the current sect leader could never truly be the sect leader, it didn’t change the fact that Hyun Jong represented Mount Huoshan.
Thus, he was someone Cheongmyeong had to protect.
To insult the sect leader was to insult Mount Huoshan itself.
Cheongmyeong’s eyes began to blaze with fury.
“I was trying to handle this peacefully, but these brats are turning things upside down from the very start. Fine, so that’s how it is?”
“……No, calm down…”
“Cheongmyeong. Please, I beg you. Let’s think first before acting.”
The three great disciples were in a panic, trying to hold Cheongmyeong back.
They knew best what he was capable of when his temper flared.
At that moment, Cheongmyeong turned his head sharply.
“Did you see that, seniors?”
“……See what?”
“What those brats are doing. There’s a limit to how much they can disrespect Mount Huoshan. Are you going to endure that?”
“……No, we don’t want to endure it either. But what can we do…”
“Listen well, seniors.”
Cheongmyeong’s eyes burned with determination.
“If we lose to those brats, we’re all dead.”
“……”
The faces of the three great disciples turned pale in unison.
Cheongmyeong’s eyes glinted with rage.
“It’s fine to lose elsewhere. I can accept being beaten up anywhere else. But I can’t stand losing to Jongnam! Anyone who makes me witness such disgrace should be prepared for the consequences. Anyone who makes others shed tears of blood will find themselves shedding tears of blood in return!”
That’s not how you use that saying, you brat! You’re using it the opposite way! You’re making us shed tears of blood right now!
“Why is there no response?”
Cheongmyeong licked his lips with a crazed look in his eyes.
Just watching him sent chills down their spines.
“Ah, no. We don’t want to do that either. But we…”
“What? You don’t have the confidence?”
“W-Well, it’s not that…”
“Are you ready to die?”
“……”
“Go ahead and lose. Go ahead. Fine, we’ll all die together. You die, and I die too.”
“……”
The Huazhong Gathering.
An event to strengthen the ties between Mount Huoshan and Jongnam.
But now, that gathering was being stained crimson by the rage of one person.
“That brat…”
Jong Seohan turned slightly to look back.
Jin Geumryong walked up and quietly asked, “Are you worried?”
Jong Seohan whispered softly so that Hyun Sang, who was walking ahead, wouldn’t hear.
“It’s not that I’m worried; it’s more that I’m at a loss for words. He doesn’t even know his place.”
“Let it be.”
Jin Geumryong spoke in a stern voice.
“Running wild without knowing one’s place is the privilege of the weak. Only those who are blind to the heights of heaven can act so recklessly.”
“That’s true, but…”
“There’s no need to regret. He’s acting so brazenly, so of course, he’ll show up at the Huazhong Gathering. There will be plenty of opportunities to punish that brat in the future.”
“I want to see if he can still talk after I tear his mouth apart.”
Jin Geumryong smiled faintly.
“Those aren’t words for a righteous person.”
“Technically, it was them who started it.”
“True. That’s right.”
To be precise, it was them who started it, but Jin Geumryong didn’t bother to point that out.
“There’s no need to worry.”
At that moment, Samaseung, who had sent Hyun Sang ahead, spoke in a low voice.
“In the end, a martial artist speaks with their sword. No matter how much you chatter, nothing will change.”
“Yes, Elder.”
“Power is not everything in the martial world. But without power, you can’t do anything in this world either. You must not forget this fact.”
“I will remember.”
Samaseung narrowed his eyes.
“This upcoming Huazhong Gathering will be quite interesting. Seeing him act so brazenly means he must have some confidence. Make sure to thoroughly crush that confidence. Do you understand?”
“Yes! Elder.”
Samaseung chuckled and nodded.
‘What an interesting brat.’
Still, there was something commendable about him.
Even the elders of Mount Huoshan were too afraid to speak carelessly, yet this young brat stepped forward without fear…
Samaseung stopped in his tracks and turned around sharply.
The disciples following him were startled and stopped in unison.
“Elder?”
“What’s wrong?”
Samaseung, who had been glaring back with a fierce gaze, soon relaxed his expression and shook his head.
“No, it’s nothing.”
Then, waving his hand lightly, he turned back around.
But his face had grown serious again.
Cheongmyeong had indeed pointed out Samaseung’s mistake.
He had been rude to the sect leader.
‘Does that mean he heard what I said from that distance?’
Even Samaseung hadn’t noticed Cheongmyeong’s presence from that distance?
‘No way.’
There must have been some misunderstanding.
‘It seems I’m a bit too tense.
How could I think such absurd thoughts?’
Chuckling softly to himself, Samaseung quickened his pace.
However, his steps felt heavier than before.